Sports Ministry reviews India’s Asian Games performance, questions raised over injured athletes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Asian Games athletes on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: PTI

India’s disappointing medal returns in athletics and badminton, along with questions over injured athletes travelling to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, were discussed during the Sports Ministry’s performance review in New Delhi on Thursday.

The meeting, chaired by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, was attended by Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P T Usha, Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) CEO N S Johal and representatives of national sports federations (NSFs).

India finished the Games with 85 medals, including 21 gold, a decline from the 107 medals won at Hangzhou in 2023.

An official present at the meeting told media that Mandaviya stressed the availability of financial resources and made it clear that federations were expected to produce results rather than merely present their plans.

The official added that the discussions remained largely constructive, with federations sharing their assessments and the minister asking them to plan for upcoming competitions.

Concerns over injuries to hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, which came to light during the Games, were reportedly raised by Usha during Athletics Federation of India (AFI) adviser Adille Sumariwalla’s presentation.

According to the source, Mandaviya intervened and suggested that the discussion should concentrate on the overall performance rather than individual cases.

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Avinash Sable’s fitness was also questioned after he did not start the 5000m race, having finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase. Sable had won gold in the steeplechase and silver in the 5000m at Hangzhou.

Athletics managed 24 medals, five fewer than in the previous edition, while its gold count fell from six to one.

Badminton returned only a bronze in the men’s team event. Defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a first-round exit, with the discipline’s performance partly attributed to a demanding schedule that required players to compete in multiple matches within 24 hours.

Shooting also had a relatively poor campaign, particularly in pistol events, with double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finishing without a medal.

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With the review also focusing on preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Mandaviya urged federations to identify and develop more young athletes rather than depend on established performers.

“How long will Mirabai Chanu alone keep winning medals for us? We need to produce 10 more Mirabai Chanus,” he said in a Sports Ministry statement, referring to the weightlifter who won silver at Aichi-Nagoya.

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Mandaviya also called for greater involvement of sports psychologists, sports science specialists and mental trainers to help athletes maintain concentration during major competitions. He urged federations to organise more competitions, strengthen preparation and assess shortcomings in performance and administration.

Boxing was among India’s stronger disciplines, producing an unprecedented three gold medals. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) sought continued institutional support, although its ongoing administrative dispute between president Ajay Singh and secretary Pramod Kumar was not discussed.

Archery, the men’s and women’s hockey teams and women’s golf also contributed to India’s medal success. Eleven of the country’s 21 gold medals came during the final two days of competition.

The Sports Ministry had previously stated that more than Rs 700 crore was spent on preparing athletes over a three-year cycle, with India sending a 501-member contingent to Japan.

Sports Secretary Rao called for India to target a top-three finish at the 2030 Asian Games in Doha. He also urged federations to begin preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which India is scheduled to host in Ahmedabad, describing the event as a major national challenge.