Asian Games 2026: Indian rowers allege berating by RFI president over crew change protests

Allegations have surfaced from rowers claiming that last-minute crew changes by the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) disrupted their preparation and camaraderie, leading to a lack of coordination in the boats.

Updated : Sep 23, 2026 21:05 IST , NAGOYA - 5 MINS READ

On Thursday India will feature four boats – Balraj Panwar in the men’s single sculls, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan in the men’s doubles, Ujwal Singh and Rohit Kumar Singh in the men’s lightweight double, Jakar Khan, Kulvinder Singh, Navdeep Singh and Arvind Singh in the men’s quadruple sculls. | Photo Credit: Instagram/Balraj Panwar

A day before the rowing finals at the Nagoya Asian Games, India are assured of their worst-ever performance in the sport at the continental event. Of the six men’s events India entered in Nagoya, only four will have Indian boats in the final. It is the first time since 2002 that India will not have a boat in every men’s rowing final at the Games.

Regardless how the four finalists do, India will not match the 5 medals won at the last edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Several rowers attributed India’s performance to the team management’s decision to change crews just two days before their events. As reported previously by Sportstar, Navdeep Singh and Kulwinder Singh, originally entered in the men’s double sculls, were moved to the quadruple sculls, while Salman and Satnam, members of the original quadruple, were shifted to the double. Balraj Panwar was moved from the quadruple to the single sculls, with Arvind Singh moving in the opposite direction.

“The reason we did not make it to the final is that the people we were practising with for a long time were moved to a different boat. The new guys who came with us, we have never practiced with them so they are not at fault either,” a player who did not make the final told Sportstar on condition of anonymity.

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Another player told this publication that they had tried to convince the team management to change their decision but was berated instead by the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) president Balaji Maradappa.

“We tried to request them them (the team officials) so much. We asked them to fix the team back to its formation but nothing was done. The President of RFI shouted at us yesterday morning a day before our qualification round. He said, ‘if you don’t race nothing will happen to me. I have two children, they both are settled in life. I will enjoy life. Your future will be spoiled. If you don’t want to race, then book tickets and go back to India.’ We couldn’t say anything in response,” a player told Sportstar.

Although disappointed returning to India was out of the question. “We have been working for four years towards this medal. For the last eight months, we didn’t even go home. We never told anyone our problems because we were fighting for a medal. This is the hardest we had worked. We trained sometimes four times a day. We did everything that was asked of us. Is it possible that any person doesn’t try his best in a race?” the player said.

“The morale of the entire team is broken. The team that was chosen by the selection committee, that has been changed completely. All of us are saddened and disappointed by what has happened at the last minute. We had hoped to get a good color of medal. But our dream has been broken,” a player who did not make his final told Sportstar on condition of anonymity.

He further added that while his crew had tried their best, there was no coordination in their boat.

“Rowing is such an event that till the time there is no coordination in the boat, nothing happens. If there is no coordination, how will the boat run? We are in such a depression that we don’t know what to do. We haven’t had any appetite to eat because we are so upset,” another player told Sportstar.

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RFI president Maradappa, however, denied claims that he shouted at his players, saying the rowers were being instigated to make such statements.

“It’s all false allegations. Two days ago, I spoke to about eight fellows. I told them,you have a long future ahead. I am talking to you like you are my children. I will speak to you the way I speak to my children. I’m telling you, please go ahead and discuss and think what is good for you and don’t get monitored by somebody who’s 10000 kilometers away. Do what is right for yourself so that if you win money you will get it to your account, you will get it around your neck. You will get all the benefits so look out for yourself so that your future is good. There was nothing heated about our discussion,” he said.

On Thursday India will feature four boats – Balraj Panwar in the men’s single sculls, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan in the men’s doubles, Ujwal Singh and Rohit Kumar Singh in the men’s lightweight double, Jakar Khan, Kulvinder Singh, Navdeep Singh and Arvind Singh in the men’s quadruple sculls.

Vipul Ghurde, Saurav Kumar, Babu Lal and Yogesh Kumar in the men’s four , Jaswinder Singh and Nitin Kumar in the men’s pair have missed the cut for the final.