The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Wednesday announced new selection criteria for participation of individuals and teams in the 2026 Asian Games and other multi-sport events, aimed at ensuring only medal prospects make it to the Indian contingent.
According to the ministry, the framework lays down clear benchmarks for measurable and non-measurable sports to bring in transparency and equity in the selection process.
For measurable individual sports, athletes will qualify if they have matched or bettered the sixth-place performance of the last Asian Games in a competition recognised by the respective international federation within 12 months before the event. Where the sport was not part of the previous edition, performances in the Senior Asian Championships will be taken into account.
In the case of non-measurable events, athletes must either have a top-six finish in the last Senior Asian Championships held within the previous year or be ranked among the top six Asian nations in world rankings. If neither exists, results from equivalent international competitions will be considered.
For team sports such as hockey and football, as well as team events like relays and doubles, only those finishing in the top eight in the last Senior Asian Championships or ranked within the top eight Asian nations in international rankings will be eligible. Equivalent international competitions will serve as reference where rankings or championships are unavailable.
The ministry has retained a relaxation clause allowing participation on expert recommendations, but said approvals will not be granted merely for participation without medal prospects. It also warned against attempts by federations to exploit irregularly held continental championships with low competition standards.
Further, only sportspersons, coaches and support staff cleared at government cost will be part of the Indian contingent. No additional participants will be included even at no cost to the exchequer, the ministry clarified.