Archive · 7 Aug 2026
India's Judo Gold Medals Mask Grim Academy Infrastructure Crisis
Two Indian judo players, Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2026.
When they came back home, they got a big hero's welcome.
But a news team called Republic decided to look at where judo players train.
They visited a place called AFACS Judo Academy in Dwarka.
There they found dirty and unsafe training conditions.
The training hall had no air conditioning, torn mats, and broken gym equipment.
There was no drinking water, and bags of cement were left on the floor.
Outside the academy, piles of garbage were lying around.
The news team said India needs to fix its training places so athletes can keep winning.
Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh won gold medals in Judo at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Both judokas received a hero's welcome upon returning to India.
A Republic investigation found shabby, unhygienic conditions at AFACS Judo Academy in Dwarka.
The facility has no air conditioning, no drinking water, damaged gym equipment, and torn practice mats.
Piles of garbage and below-par infrastructure were flagged as urgent problems for Indian judo.
- Who
- Indian judokas Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh, gold medalists at the Commonwealth Games 2026, and Yashpal Solanki, who runs AFACS Judo Academy.
- What
- An investigation revealed poor and unhygienic training infrastructure at India's judo academy despite the athletes' international success.
- When
- Following India's judo success at the Commonwealth Games 2026; the exact date of the report is not stated.
- Where
- AFACS Judo Academy, Dwarka, India.
- Why
- To highlight the silent infrastructure crisis facing Indian judo despite its athletes reaching international standards.
- Event
- Commonwealth Games 2026 Judo
- Gold medalists
- Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh
- Academy
- AFACS Judo Academy
- Academy operator
- Yashpal Solanki
- Location
- Dwarka, India
- Reported issues
- No air conditioning, no drinking water, damaged equipment, torn mats, cement bags on floor, garbage outside
- Investigation
- Republic Investigates