Govt unveils strict selection criteria for Asian Games 2026 and other multi-sport events

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has announced new selection criteria for Asian Games 2026 and other multi-sport events. The guidelines stress transparency, performance benchmarks, and medal prospects, with provisions for measurable, non-measurable, and team events.

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has brought out Selection Criteria for participation of Individuals and Teams in Asian Games 2026 and other multi-sports events with a view to lay down a transparent and equitable framework aiming to ensure that the athletes who have real chance of winning medal are only considered for participation in multi-disciplinary sports events.

The selection criteria has laid down benchmarks, both for measurable and non-measurable events, which will be guiding principles to decide on participation in multi-sports events such as Asian Games, Para Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Indoor games, Asian Beach Games, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games except for the Olympics and such other international competitions where athlete or team participation is determined by qualification standards set by the respective international federations.

---

For Measurable Individual Sports and Events, an athlete will be able to find his/her place in Indian contingent if the athlete has matched or bettered the 6th-place performance from the last Asian Games at a competition recognized by the international sports federation for that sport, held within the 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games. Where the sport or event was not contested at the last Asian Games, in that case, selection criteria will be with reference to same benchmarks in Senior Asian Championships conducted for the sport or event within 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games.

For Non-Measurable Individual Sports and Events, where Senior Asian Championship was held within 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games or world Rankings are promulgated regularly, athlete having achieved a 6th or better finish in his/her weight or event at the last Senior Asian Championships held within the last 12 months; or his/her World ranking is amongst top 6 of Asian nations in international rankings, will be considered for inclusion in the contingent.

Where no Senior Asian Championships have been conducted in last 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games and no international rankings are published regularly, the athlete must have a top 6 finish amongst Asian nations in equivalent international competitions. For Team Sports (such as Football, Hockey etc.) and Team Events (such as Relay, Doubles, Mixed doubles etc), team having achieved top 8 finish in in the last Senior Asian Championships held within 12 months, or the team is ranked within the top 8 among Asian countries in international rankings, will be considered for participation in Asian Games.

Where international Rankings are not published or Senior Asian Championship was not conducted within 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games, team must have secured a top 8 finish among Asian countries in the equivalent international competition.

The criteria has a relaxation clause authorising the Ministry to take appropriate decision if participation of individuals and teams in relaxation of the prescribed criteria is recommended with justifiable reasons, based on opinion of experts in specific sports or Sports Authority of India (SAI).

It provides that the Ministry may not approve the names recommended by National Sports Federations, if the aim is just for participation and not aiming for excellence. Further, the Ministry may not approve participation, if experts from specific sports disciplines and the SAI find that the Asian Championships for a sport are being held at irregular intervals to circumvent rules and help athletes meet eligibility criteria, particularly if the competition standard is low or if top nations expected to participate in the forthcoming Asian Games were absent from the said competition.

Selection criteria further provides that only sportspersons, coaches and support staff cleared at cost to the government will be part of Indian contingent and no additional sportspersons, coach and support staff will be included even at no cost to government.