Sports Ministry Reviews Asian Games Setbacks, Questions Athlete Injuries
The Sports Ministry’s review of India’s Asian Games performance on Thursday examined the country’s lower-than-expected medal tally in athletics and badminton, with concerns also raised over key athletes competing despite injuries.
The meeting, chaired by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, was attended by Indian Olympic Association president P T Usha, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao and representatives of National Sports Federations (NSFs). The discussions also focused on preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India won 85 medals, including 21 gold, at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a significant decline from the 106 medals secured at the previous edition in Hangzhou.
Injuries To Key Athletes Come Under Scrutiny
Concerns over injuries to prominent athletes, including hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, were reportedly raised during the Athletics Federation of India’s presentation.
IOA president P T Usha highlighted the issue as AFI advisor Adille Sumariwalla presented his assessment of the athletics team’s performance. However, a source present at the meeting said Mandaviya redirected the discussion towards an overall evaluation rather than individual cases.
Distance runner Avinash Sable’s fitness also came under scrutiny after he did not start the 5,000m race following a fourth-place finish in the 3,000m steeplechase. Sable had won the steeplechase title and a 5,000m silver at the previous Asian Games.
Athletics recorded a sharp decline in gold medals, from six at Hangzhou to just one in Aichi-Nagoya. The discipline’s overall tally fell to 24 medals, five fewer than in the previous edition.
Mandaviya Demands Accountability From Federations
Mandaviya told the federations that financial support was no longer an excuse for underperformance and stressed the need for tangible results.
The Sports Ministry’s statement also highlighted his call to develop a stronger pipeline of young athletes, using weightlifter Mirabai Chanu’s success as an example.
“How long will Mirabai Chanu alone keep winning medals for us? We need to produce 10 more Mirabai Chanus,” Mandaviya said.
He urged federations to identify promising talent, improve training systems and create an environment that allows athletes to reach the highest level. He also called for greater involvement of sports psychologists, sports science specialists and high-performance mental trainers to help athletes manage pressure at major international events.
Mandaviya further stressed the need for more competitions, better athlete preparation and honest assessments of performance and administrative shortcomings.
Badminton And Shooting Among Disappointing Performances
Badminton produced just one medal, a men’s team bronze. Defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a first-round exit, with hectic scheduling partly blamed for the disappointing campaign.
Shooting also fell short of expectations, particularly in pistol events. Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished without a medal.
In contrast, boxing delivered an unprecedented three gold medals, while archery, both hockey teams and women’s golf were among India’s standout performers.
The Boxing Federation of India pledged to deliver more success with continued institutional support, although its ongoing internal power struggle did not feature in the review meeting.
India Sets Sights On Doha 2030
Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao said India must aim for a top-three finish at the 2030 Asian Games in Doha.
He also described the 2030 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be hosted by India in Ahmedabad, as a major national challenge that requires early preparation by every federation.
India had sent a 501-strong contingent to Aichi-Nagoya, with the Sports Ministry stating before the Games that more than Rs 700 crore had been spent on athlete preparation over a three-year cycle.
