Sports Ministry firm on sticking to selection guidelines for Asiad
The Indian Sports Ministry is maintaining strict adherence to its selection criteria for the Asian Games, rejecting external pressure to include athletes who do not meet performance benchmarks. This stance has led to protests from various sports federations and individual athletes.
Why it matters
The controversy underscores the tension between meritocratic government standards and the desire for broader representation in national sports teams.
The Sports Ministry is firm on sticking to the selection criteria for the Asian Games and not giving in to external pressure in clearing names that do not make the cut.
The government recently cleared a 492-member list for the upcoming edition in Aichi-Nagoya, leaving out the football and handball teams and excluding several former medallists, leading to protests.
“There is a lot of pressure from all quarters to include many sportspersons. Many parents call up to say their child deserved a chance but was not selected. But our contention is, if someone merits selection on the basis of the government criteria, he/she will not be ignored but we cannot simply clear names,” ministry sources said on Monday.
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