1 week ago
India Approves 492-Athlete Squad for Asian Games 2026
India has chosen 492 athletes to compete at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
The group includes 265 men and 227 women.
Athletics has the biggest group, with 73 athletes.
Famous competitors such as Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, Mirabai Chanu, P V Sindhu and Lovlina Borgohain are included.
Some weightlifters were removed because of documented doping violations.
More athletes could still be added after approval from the Olympic Council of Asia.
India will send teams for many sports, including kabaddi, cricket and esports.
The men’s and women’s kabaddi teams will try to defend India’s two gold medals from the previous Games.
The list of coaches, medical staff and other support staff will be announced later.
India’s Sports Ministry approved a 492-athlete contingent for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The squad includes 265 male and 227 female athletes, with athletics contributing the largest group at 73.
Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, Mirabai Chanu, P V Sindhu and Lovlina Borgohain are among the selected competitors.
The weightlifting team was reduced to five athletes after some selections were removed over documented doping violations.
India will field full-strength men’s and women’s kabaddi teams and compete in cricket, esports, rugby, volleyball and Sepak Takraw.
- Who
- The Indian Sports Ministry approved 492 athletes, including Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, Mirabai Chanu, P V Sindhu and Lovlina Borgohain.
- What
- India approved its athlete contingent for the 2026 Asian Games, with competitors selected across athletics, shooting, badminton, boxing, kabaddi and other sports.
- Where
- Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- When
- The Asian Games are scheduled for September 19 to October 4, 2026; the approval was announced on Saturday.
- Why
- To represent India at the Asian Games and defend its previous kabaddi gold medals.
Key facts
- Approved contingent
- 492 athletes
- Gender breakdown
- 265 male and 227 female athletes
- Largest sport
- Athletics, with 73 athletes
- Shooting team
- 30 athletes, including 15 men and 15 women
- Badminton team
- 20 athletes
- Kabaddi teams
- 12 men and 12 women
- Pending decisions
- The support-staff list is expected within a week or earlier, while additional athletes await Olympic Council of Asia clearance
Quotes
A well-placed source
A source familiar with the Sports Ministry’s contingent preparations
“The athletes list is more or less what the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) recommended. A few names have been dropped because of doping violations as is already documented but a few more could be added for which we are awaiting clearance from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).”
rediff.com
“The list of support staff would be out in another week or even earlier. It is being recalibrated to ensure that there is a balanced presence of sports science experts such as physios and medical staff for all participating teams.”
rediff.com
Sources
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