Explained: Why Indian Athletes Appear As ‘Ankush Ankush’ Or ‘Jaismine Jaismine’ During CWG 2026

Indian boxers could win as many as 10 gold medals on Saturday in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. One common theme among the boxers has been the way their names have been displayed in official records. While the likes of Lovlina Borgohain and Jadumani Singh Mandengbam have their full names, several athletes like Ankush Panghal and Jaismine Lamboria have their names displayed as 'Ankush Ankush' and 'Jaismine Jaismine'.

Similar cases have surfaced at previous international events, especially in wrestling and boxing. Here at Free Press Journal, we try to explain why it happens.

Why does this happen?

The issue is likely because of how athlete names are submitted for accreditation and competition entries. Official records refer to passport and use the name as it is mentioned on the document. Many Indian athletes do not use a family name (last name/surname) or have only one official name in their passport and government documents.

Registration systems require athletes to have their full name - their first and last name. In the absence of the last name, the first name is repeated, hence appearing twice. For example, while Ankush has his last name as Panghal, it might not be listed on passport, which is why it appears as 'Ankush Ankush' on the screen.

The duplication has no effect on the athletes or their records. Each athlete has a unique identification number and they remain unchanged during the course of competition.

The issue can be fixed if the international registration systems are made more flexible for different naming traditions. A single name system would allow them to battle under just their first name and avoid repetition. The last name helps in case of multiple athletes with the same first name.

Until such changes are adopted, names like 'Ankush Ankush' and 'Jaismine Jaismine' are likely to continue appearing on official competition records.