CWG 2026: No handshake ban with Pakistan players, no gifts

Flags of India and Pakistan (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Indian athletes will be free to choose whether to shake hands or exchange pleasantries with their Pakistani counterparts during the CWG, while accepting gifts or presents from the neighboring country’s athletes has been ruled out, TOI has learnt.With the Indian and Pakistani contingents mostly staying in the same hotels under Glasgow’s “zone” accommodation system instead of the traditional Athletes’ Village concept, interactions between athletes from the two countries are expected to be inevitable during the Games.It was learned that the issue was discussed by Indian sports officials in Glasgow as part of internal talks with the contingent. While accepting gifts or presents from Pakistani athletes was expressly prohibited, the decision to shake hands and exchange courtesies was left to the individual judgment of the athletes and, in some cases, the management of their respective National Sports Federations (NSFs). The authorities have not issued any formal instructions on the matter.For example, in athletics, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan’s reigning CWG champion Arshad Nadeem stay in the same hotel in Zone 3 ahead of their competitors, so interaction between the two is likely.However, different sports have adopted different approaches. It is learned that on-field officials told the Indian players that there was no problem in shaking hands, poking or exchanging pleasantries with their Pakistani opponents. Several other NSFs expressed similar sentiments.India’s approach to sports engagement with Pakistan has long distinguished between bilateral competitions and transnational events. While bilateral sports ties remain suspended, athletes from both countries continue to compete against each other in international multi-sport events. In cricket, Indian and Pakistani players have avoided the customary pre-match and post-match handshakes in recent years. In contrast, the junior hockey teams from the two countries exchanged high-fives after the Sultan of Johor Cup match.