Exclusive | Indian record holder Tejas Nandakumar rules out 2026 Commonwealth Games: ‘I’m absolutely devastated’

Tejas Nandakumar has been banned from the 2026 Commonwealth Games NEW DELHI: The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of disbelief for Tejas Nandakumar, India’s national record holder in the men’s S7 100m backstroke.The 20-year-old from Bengaluru was set to compete in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow starting on July 23 and everything was building towards this moment. The training, the qualifying times, the visa papers, even the measurements of his ceremonial kit, were all done. When the official list of participants was released on Friday, his name was on it. Twenty-four hours later, everything fell apart. Tejas has fully qualified for the Men’s 50m Freestyle S7 and his slot has already been taken. But he was told on Saturday morning that he had been declared ineligible, not because of anything related to his swimming, but because of his classification status.Its current designation of Review-2025 did not meet the requirement for confirmed status or a locked review date of 2027 or later.“I am absolutely devastated. It has absolutely nothing to do with my swimming, fitness or performance,” he told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction. “It was a purely technical matter that expired.Classification determines how athletes are grouped according to the nature and extent of their disability, ensuring fair competition in para sport.“Review 2025” meant that the international classifiers decided that his sport class may change and will need to be re-evaluated before or during 2025. In contrast, a “Confirmed” classification means that the athlete’s sport class is considered stable and is not expected to change.Under Commonwealth Games eligibility rules, athletes must either have a confirmed classification or have a review date set for 2027 or later to ensure stability. As Tejas’ inspection was scheduled for 2025, he was deemed ineligible despite qualifying on merit. Could this situation have been avoided?“Maybe. But the administrative planning and paperwork needed to lock in that status just didn’t happen in time,” he added.The rejection was particularly painful as he had spent the last 18 months seeking classification opportunities in three countries. He competed in Barcelona, ​​Paris and Australia, even funding one trip himself, in an attempt to secure the status required for Glasgow.One of those attempts came entirely at his own expense. Tejas says he has personally funded his trip to Paris in the hope it will help secure the classification needed to remain eligible for Glasgow. But he never got the classification window he needed to have his status reevaluated. Sensing that trouble was coming at the Commonwealth Games, he tried again, submitting entry fees for a meeting in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan, in March 2026. This attempt also failed as he never secured the slot and eventually withdrew.“Honestly, to say I’m gutted is an understatement,” he admitted. “You pour your life into representing your country and realistically trying to get a medal without having to dive into a pool is a tough pill to swallow.”He believes that Indian sports bodies, among them the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), have the capacity and the opportunity to close this gap before it costs another athlete a shot at the podium, especially with the Asian Para Games and Paralympic Games on the horizon.“PCI was actually in my corner trying to be supportive,” he told the site. “My understanding of the process is that it has really become a matter of administrative priority; if it had been more actively pursued, the classification window probably could have been secured. I don’t want to directly point the finger or make it controversial.”

‘It is very difficult to get a classification slot’: PCI

Asked if the governing body had tried to intervene, Virender Kumar Dabas, chairman of para-swimming for the Paralympic Committee of India, told TimesofIndia.com: “No, pushing things doesn’t work here. He should have classified himself. He should have been reclassified in 2025. He should have been more careful and was reminded again and again.”While acknowledging that Tejas traveled to events in Paris and Australia only to miss out due to the massive build-up, Dabas noted, “To be given a classification slot is a prerogative of World Para Swimming. Especially in Europe it is very difficult to get a classification slot… because there is so much rush, so much waiting. He went to Paris, he didn’t get a classification slot. Very unfortunate.”Dabas emphasized that the PCI had no say in the selection of the Commonwealth Games and dismissed the possibility of last-minute political interventions.“We do not select athletes. The selection comes from above, from an international body. If there were any other problem with the document, it could be ratified, corrected,” he added.Dabas concluded that the result was a definitive, if unfortunate, reality that the athlete had been warned about.“He is a good boy but he was unlucky. What to do? We have already told him that although his name comes from World Para Swimming through IOA, the chances are less,” he further noted. “He was informed about it. Because when they checked one by one, they found that he was not eligible to participate in 2026.”

“Holding my head high”: Tejas Nandakumar

To avoid similar situations in the future, Nandakumar called for a dedicated classification fund separate from the standard “Foreign Exposure” competition budgets, as current policy typically covers only one international meet per year, along with a system that identifies and prioritizes medal contenders for classification opportunities well in advance, along with a two- to three-year planning cycle that reflects the time spent preparing major swimmers.“They absolutely should have prioritized top swimmers first,” Nandakumar said. “I just hope this brings immediate attention to these administrative timelines so we can protect someone else from being in situations like this.”For now, Tejas insists that this setback will not define him. “I hold my head high. I don’t let it define me,” he concluded. “My focus shifts immediately and my eyes are completely on preparing and delivering for India at the upcoming Asian Para Games.”