Fearing being branded anti-national, Indian rowers compete against their will at Asian Games
India’s rowing campaign at the Asian Games has been marred by a bitter row over last-minute changes to the team’s crews, with athletes claiming they were pressured to compete despite their reservations and fearing they would be labeled “anti-national” if they refused.
The issue came into sharp focus after Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in men’s double sculls. Rather than celebrating a medal, rowers talked about a missed opportunity for gold.
In an interview with RevSportz, Satnam said that athletes feel they have no choice but to compete.
“If we didn’t participate, we would be considered anti-national,” he said.
The comments came after several days of frustration at the rowing camp, where athletes questioned changes to their races and crew combinations shortly before the competition.
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WHAT HAS CHANGED
The controversy centers around a series of changes to the Indian rowing squad that were made just days before the competition.
The rowing program was originally planned for four days. But weather disruptions caused by Typhoon Dujuan cut the competition short by two days, forcing the Indian camp to rethink its line-up combinations.
The changes affected several events. Arvind Singh, who was originally seeded in the singles, was moved to the quadruple bobsled, while Balraj Panwar was shifted from the quadruple bobsled to the singles.
Saurav Kumar and Vipul Satish, who were originally part of the men’s doubles, were to be replaced by Nitin Kumar and Jaswinder Singh. Reserve Jasmail Singh was also to be included in the coxless four.
Meanwhile, Navdeep Singh and Kulwinder Singh have been moved from double sculls to quads.
The changes left several athletes frustrated, especially as they moved closer to the competition. One rower said those moved from their original events were “very upset”, while another said some athletes did not eat after the development.
“Some of the rowers have not taken food yet because they are in an agitated state of mind. They don’t know what to do,” a rower told PTI.
An official monitoring the situation also acknowledged the mood within the team, saying: “It’s very sad, but it’s not rosy in the rowing team.”
WHY THE CHANGES WERE MADE
The Federation’s explanation centers on the disruption of the plan.
RFI president Balaji Maradapa said the revised crew combinations were decided by the coaches in the interest of the team after the rowing program was shortened from four days to two due to weather disruptions caused by Typhoon Dujuan.
Maradapa also accused the former coach of “influencing” athletes.
The federation’s position is that the changed schedule required the coaches to reassess the combinations.
But that explanation did not solve the problem for the rowers, who believe the late changes affected their medal prospects.
And it is here that the bronze won by Satnam and Salman is significant.
BRONZE WITH QUESTIONS
Bronze was secured by Satnam and Salman, but their comments after the race showed that the result did not erase their frustration.
For rowers, the problem is not just about moving between events. They believe the changes came too late and affected their chances of winning gold.
Satnam’s comment that he would be branded anti-national if they did not participate underscores the pressure he said the athletes felt.
The allegation also raises questions about how the revised combinations were communicated to rowers and whether they were sufficiently consulted before the changes were made.
The Federation explained why the crews were changed. However, athletes remain frustrated with how these decisions have been handled.
So for Satnam and Salman, the bronze is more than a medal. It’s also a reminder of what they believe could have been a chance to challenge for gold.
The medal decided the result on the water. It did not resolve the dispute over how the Indian crews were assembled in the first place.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
24 Sep 2026 15:53 IST