‘Only those who deliver will travel’: sports minister on 2026 Asian Games selection policy

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (ANI Photo) New Delhi: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday made it clear that the Asian Games contingent in September will be limited to 600 athletes and only those who can put up a continental show will be eligible to travel to Japan.While Mandaviya clarified that the Asian Games was not the right avenue for “exposure tours”, he told the media that the policy of selections being videotaped and scrutinized by independent observers proved to be key. Subsequently, athletes who are in the top six of the continental rankings would be eligible. Such disruption denied Indian football teams the opportunity to participate in the Aichi-Nagoya Games.“The Asian Games is not an exhibition tour, it is a platform for athletes to make the country proud with their best performances. So, as I have repeatedly stated, only those who can do it will travel,” he said.“Exposure can be gained elsewhere. It doesn’t have to be the Asian Games. Anyone who wants to secure a job through participation certificates will not be fired. The Games are about performance and we will ensure that,” he continued.“Ministry backs Anush Agarwalla”On the same platform, Mandaviya shed light on the ever-controversial selection process that precedes multi-sport events. This time, rowers Manika Batra and Equestrian Anush Agarwalla created a stir over their non-selection.While Batra challenged the process itself, Agarwalla filed an application in the Delhi High Court after an ad-hoc committee of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) decided to skip it. After the Delhi HC dismissed the plea, it is being heard by a division bench.According to the source, the Ministry of Sports will support his inclusion despite the initial legal setback.The Delhi HC dismissed the petitions of Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela challenging the calculation of minimum eligibility requirements (MER), interpretation of selection criteria, absence of additional selection process and alleging bias in the selection board.The Sports Ministry has made it clear that the lists released by the National Sports Federations (NSFs) after the examinations “represent only the Federation’s recommended/selected list resulting from its internal selection process”.“Such a list does not represent the final government-approved Indian contingent,” a ministry source clarified.“Names recommended by NSF remain subject to review by IOA, scrutiny by SAI and final approval by Ministry of Youth and Sports.”“…only those athletes, coaches and support staff whose names are included in the sanction order issued by MYAS (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports) will be considered as members of the official Indian contingent for the Asian Games,” the source added.