India men’s and women’s football teams to participate in Asian Games 2023
India men’s and women’s football teams have got the nod to participate in the 2023 Asian Games in China in September.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, in a tweet, confirmed that his ministry decided to relax the rules to facilitate the participation of both teams in the continental mult-sport event.
“The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has decided to relax the rules to facilitate the participation of both the teams, which were not qualifying as per the existing criterion,” Anurag Thakur said on Twitter on Wednesday, July 26.
“Keeping in mind their latest performances in recent times, the Ministry decided to grant the relaxation.
“I am sure they will put their best foot forward in the Asian Games and make our country proud.”
Notably, the men’s national football team did not get the nod to participate in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta because the Sports Ministry’s rule states that in a team sport, only those in the top 8 will get the nod.
The men’s national football team is currently ranked 18th in Asia but they have put on consistent performances, including a victorious run in SAFF Championship and the Intercontinental Cup in June-July.
The national football team, which didn’t get permission to participate during the Jakarta Games in 2018, is currently ranked 18th in Asia and the sports ministry’s rule states that in a team sport, only those in the top eight will get the nod.
India are likely to send a team led by Sunil Chhetri, who took his tally to 92 international goals after a splendid run in the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championship. Football at the Asian Games is a U-23 sport with only 3 players above that age allowed to be part of the squad.
Notably, India men’s football team head coach Igor Stimac made an emotional appeal in which he requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and allow the men’s side to participate in the upcoming Asian Games. He argued that the team has worked extremely hard in the last four years and managed some great results, proving that they can achieve more if given the opportunity.
“Honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi ji, I am not sure if someone would have briefed you or updated you about the Indian teams participating in the upcoming Asian Games, where the most important and key global sport “football” team has been deprived from participating and representing the Indian flag,” Stimac said in a statement on Twitter.
India’s consistent performances in the recent past have seen the side climb to a sub-100 ranking on FIFA charts for the first time since 2018. India is currently ranked 99th on the FIFA charts.