The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Wednesday unveiled new selection criteria for Indian athletes and teams for the 2026 Asian Games and other multi-sport events, focusing on ensuring that only medal contenders represent the country.
The framework sets clear benchmarks for both measurable and non-measurable sports, promoting transparency and fairness in the selection process.
For measurable individual sports, athletes must match or exceed the sixth-place performance from the previous Asian Games in competitions recognised by the relevant international federation within 12 months of the event. If the sport was not part of the last edition, performances at the Senior Asian Championships will be considered.
In non-measurable sports, athletes must have either secured a top-six finish in the most recent Senior Asian Championships or be among the top six Asian nations in global rankings. If these are unavailable, results from equivalent international events will be taken into account.
For team sports such as hockey and football, and team events like relays and doubles, eligibility is limited to teams finishing in the top eight at the last Senior Asian Championships or ranked among the top eight Asian nations. Where rankings or championships are not available, equivalent international competitions will be used as references.
The ministry has retained a provision for expert-recommended entries but emphasised that participation will not be approved solely for representation without medal potential. It also cautioned against federations attempting to exploit irregular continental championships with weak competition.
Additionally, only athletes, coaches, and support staff approved at government expense will form part of the Indian contingent. No additional participants will be allowed, even at no cost to the government.
