Petition to Ban India from Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Passed on by Council

Sport Writer Clara Morate reports on Birmingham City Council’s decision to pass on a petition calling for the boycott of India from the Commonwealth Games

Written by CMorate
Final year Classics undergrad at UoB. Currently obsessed with writing and dont think I can't stop any time soon. Hopefully I can reign it back for my dissertation. Part of gymnastics, Ballads and Windsurfing at UoB, not to forget the wonderful Green Party, BACAS and Writer's Bloc funnily enough. The profile photo, I know its weird I took it in Costa Rica and I have good memories attached to it, that's it really. Also cant be bothered to change it currently.
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The 2022 Commonwealth Games are to be held in Birmingham from 28th July to 8th August. Recently, a petition has been rejected by the Birmingham City Council with regards to boycotting India from the games due to human rights abuses in the states of Jammu and Kashmir. Led by a group named ‘Daughters of Kashmir,’ the decision was deeply disappointing for campaigners.

India has repeatedly been under scrutiny from the United Nations Human Rights Council over human rights abuses. The conflict stems from territorial disputes over the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. The United Nations (UN) has acted as a mediator between the two countries for over 70 years. Today, both countries claim the territory as their own but only have control over specific areas within the Kashmir region. In recent years, civil unrest in the Indian Kashmir territory has resulted in deadly violence.

‘The sporting federation of India is independent of its government’

Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward said that the petition ‘was not a matter for Birmingham City Council’ and that he would pass it on to the Commonwealth Games Federation. Ward added: ‘the sporting federation of India is independent of its government and not responsible for government decisions.’ According to the Daughters of Kashmir, who submitted the petition a year ago, they are yet to receive a response from the Commonwealth Games Federation.

It remains to be seen whether the petition will have an impact on India’s participation in Birmingham 2022. Ward reiterated that the values of the Commonwealth Games Federation are ‘humanity, equality and destiny,’ so the authorities will be conscious not to take this decision lightly.

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