Neeraj Chopra replaced by CWG bronze medalist Yashvir Singh as AFI announces 77-member squad for Asian Games

Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist javelin thrower Yashvir Singh has replaced the injured Neeraj Chopra in the Indian athletics team for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped after receiving a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for an alleged doping offence.The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Thursday announced the 77-member Indian athletics squad for the Asian Games from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The announcement was made during a press conference in Ludhiana, which is hosting the National Youth Championship.Men’s 110m hurdler Tejas Shirse was also left out of the squad after sustaining an injury during the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo said that Yashvir was brought in as Neeraj is unavailable due to injury.“We brought in Yashvir, who is a CWG medalist, in place of Neeraj Chopra, who is currently injured. It was an injury replacement, so there was no problem (in Yashvir’s entry),” Sagoo said.He also confirmed that Abhishek Pal has been removed from the team.“Distance athlete Abhishek Pal has been ruled out due to the problems he is facing. So this is the last team for the Asian Games,” he added.Last month, Abhishek received a notice from NADA after his sample was found to contain a female fertility drug. Officials said the substance was present below the threshold.Former AFI secretary and planning commission chief Lalit Bhanot said the federation did not want to take any risks during the investigation.“It is not a case of him (Abhishek) returning doping positive. The presence of the substance is below the threshold level. NADA is currently under investigation. But we didn’t want to take any chances. We don’t want anyone to point fingers at us. So we dropped Abhishek from the team,” Bhanot was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.Shirse and Abhishek were part of the 73-member squad announced by the Sports Ministry earlier this month. On Wednesday, the ministry added six more athletes to the athletics contingent.The six added athletes are Harita Bhadra (200m), Kiran Pahal (400m), Sindhushree G (pole vault), I Asha Ilango (triple jump), Sanya Yadav (discus throw) and Praveen Kumar (hammer throw).With two athletes dropped and six added, the final Indian athletics team now stands at 77 members.The AFI also requested permission for Avinash Sable to compete in the men’s 5000m in addition to his confirmed event of the 3000m steeplechase.Sable, who won gold in the steeplechase and silver in the 5000m at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, has competed just once this season after recovering from ACL surgery.“Sable’s participation in the 3000m steeplechase is confirmed, there is no problem with that. But we have also asked the Asian Games organizers to run the 5000m as well.”“But it is conditional on him breaking the AFI qualifying mark (for 5000m) during the final event of the Indian Athletics Series on September 10 in New Delhi,” Bhanot said.The final of the India Athletics Series in New Delhi on September 10 will be a prize-winning event and most of the Asian Games-bound athletes are expected to compete.The latter team also includes Gulveer Singh and Parul Chaudhary, each in three tournaments. Gulveer will compete in the 10,000m, 5,000m and 1,500m, while Parul will run the 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m and 1,500m.