The Sports Ministry has directed all National Sports Federations (NSFs) governing Olympic disciplines to finalise and publish their qualification pathways and athlete selection criteria for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by July 15, as part of a wider push to make India’s selection process more transparent and accountable.
The directive requires federations to publicly disclose qualification pathways, selection criteria and selection procedures well in advance, ensuring athletes, coaches and stakeholders have complete clarity on the road to the Games.
Sports Ministry Pushes For Transparent Olympic Selection Process
In a statement, the ministry said the selection policy and criteria for major multi-sport events should be made public at least two years before the respective competitions begin.
“The selection policy and criteria for mega sporting events such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games, Para Asian Games and Commonwealth Games should be well publicised and uploaded on the official website of the concerned NSF at least two years before the commencement of the respective Games,” the ministry said.
The ministry also instructed federations to share their qualification and selection policies with affiliated state associations and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which oversees athlete development and sports infrastructure across the country.
July 15 Deadline Set For Los Angeles 2028 Qualification Pathways
With international federations already releasing qualification systems for the Los Angeles Olympics, the ministry has asked all recognised NSFs to immediately upload their respective qualification pathways and athlete selection processes.
“The ministry has informed that the qualification pathways for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games have been released by the respective International Federations. Accordingly, all recognised NSFs have been requested to publish the Olympic qualification and selection pathway, including the criteria and process to be adopted for the selection of athletes for the Games, on their official websites immediately and no later than 15 July 2026,” the release stated.
Federations have also been directed to circulate the selection guidelines among all affiliated state and Union Territory associations.
Directive Supports India’s Long-Term Olympic Vision
Selection policies framed by several NSFs have often attracted criticism in recent years, leading to disputes, athlete complaints and legal challenges.
The ministry believes publishing the criteria well in advance will reduce uncertainty and strengthen confidence in the selection process.
The move also aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, which aims to make India one of the world’s top 10 sporting nations by 2036—when the country hopes to host the Olympic Games—and among the top five sporting nations by 2047, marking 100 years of India’s independence.
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