File photo of Sports Minister Mandaviya. The Sports Ministry of India has released strict selection criteria for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, focusing on medal prospects and continental rankings. The new five-page document, unveiled on Wednesday, states that only athletes ranked in the top six for individual sports and top eight for team sports at the Asian level will be eligible for participation, with a clear emphasis on medal-winning potential.The selection criteria will also apply to other major events including the Commonwealth Games, Para Asian Games, Asian Indoor Games, Asian Beach Games, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games, and Commonwealth Youth Games.The ministry has made it clear that additional coaches and support staff will not be permitted, even at no cost to the government.”The aim is to ensure that the athletes who have real chance of winning medal are only considered for participation in multidisciplinary sports events,” the ministry stated in the document.The ministry further emphasised its stance on participation standards: “If it comes to notice of the Ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) that the aim is just for participation and not aiming for excellence (medal winning), names of such sportspersons and teams will not be approved after giving proper justification.”Athletes must have matched or bettered the sixth-place performance from the previous Asian Games within the past 12 months at recognised international competitions to be eligible for nomination.For events not contested at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, athletes must achieve a top-six finish at the Senior Asian Championships within the preceding 12 months.The policy specifically excludes the Olympics and other international competitions where qualification standards are set by international federations.The ministry has established specific ranking criteria for Asian Championships. For events with less than six teams, Indian athletes must finish in the top two, while in competitions with six to 12 teams, they must place within the top four.”Only those sportspersons, coaches and support staff will be part of the contingent, whose names have been cleared at cost to the government and no additional sportspersons, coach and support staff will be included even at no cost to government,” the ministry clarified.The guidelines address championships held at different intervals. Championships conducted beyond 24 months from the Asian Games date will not be considered for eligibility.The ministry warned against attempts to circumvent rules through irregular championships or those with low competition standards.For team sports, Asian rankings will be determined based on the latest global rankings, potentially affecting teams like Indian football, currently ranked 24th in Asia.The ministry has included a relaxation clause allowing recommendations for participants who don’t meet the criteria, based on expert opinion from specific sports or SAI.The new framework aims to establish a transparent and equitable selection process, following India’s record-breaking performance at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, where they secured 106 medals, including 28 gold.The Asian Games are scheduled to take place in Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026, where these new selection criteria will be implemented for the first time.
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