Sports ministry reviews Asian Games performance; questions injuries, lacklustre show
The Indian Sports Ministry has initiated a review of the country's performance at the 2026 Asian Games following a lower medal count compared to the previous edition. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya expressed concerns regarding athlete injuries and the reliance on a small group of high-profile performers.
Why it matters
This review highlights systemic issues in Indian sports administration and the need for a more robust talent pipeline to ensure consistent international success.
NEW DELHI: India's sub-par medal haul in disciplines like athletics and badminton came under scrutiny during the Sports Ministry's review of the country's Asian Games performance on Thursday. In a meeting with the National Sports Federations (NSFs), Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya questioned athlete injuries upon reaching Aichi-Nagoya and the lacklustre effort of some high-profile athletes.India finished fourth in the medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games, pulling ahead after a gold-laden show in the last two days. India bagged 85 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, including 21 golds, significantly lower than the 106 medals it won at the previous edition in Hangzhou, China.The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P T Usha, Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao and NSF representatives.The Minister also called for greater responsibility from the NSFs on the sporting performance.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in