PV Sindhu is likely to be India's flagbearer at CWG opening ceremony after Neeraj Chopra pulled out due to injury, the Indian Olympic Association confirmed on Wednesday. "The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is delighted to announce shuttler Ms PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, as the Flagbearer of Team India at the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games," the IOA said in an official statement.
The IOA also said that weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and boxer Lovlina Borgohain were considered after Neeraj Chopra's injury.
"Alongside Ms Sindhu, who medalled at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, two other highly deserving athletes were considered to be Team India's Flagbearer: weightlifter Ms Mirabai Chanu and boxer Ms Lovlina Borgohain, who are both Olympic medallists," the statement read.
"A four-member committee, comprising IOA Acting President Mr Anil Khanna, IOA Secretary General Mr Rajeev Mehta, IOA Treasurer Mr Anandeshwar Panday, and Team India Chef de Mission Mr Rajesh Bhandari, shortlisted the three athletes. Eventually, Mr Khanna and Mr Mehta selected Ms Sindhu as the Flagbearer for the Opening Ceremony," it further added.
"It's with great pleasure that we announce PV Sindhu as the Flagbearer for Team India. The other two athletes, Ms Chanu and Ms Borgohain, were immensely deserving, too, but we went ahead with Ms Sindhu because she is a two-time Olympic medallist," IOA Acting President Anil Khanna was quoted as saying.
Neeraj Chopra was set to be India's flagbearer, but he suffered an injury during the World Athletics Championships, where he won the silver medal.
It was revealed later in the day that men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh would be India's second flagbearer as every country has to name one male and one female flagbearer.