Asian Games: Ministry to review below-par performance of elite athletes under TOPS

The Ministry has called federation officials this week to discuss the performance.

The Sports Ministry will thoroughly review the Asian Games performance with respective federations, especially looking at how 89 experienced athletes in the contingent of around 500 failed to win a single medal in Aichi-Nagoya.

File image of India's Jyothi Yarraji who was one of the athletes that had withdrawn before their events at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, 2026. (REUTERS)

Thirty-four of these experienced athletes, who have competed in multi-disciplinary events before, are under the Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS), and ₹27.16 crore has been spent on them.

Given the support provided by the Sports Ministry through exposure tours, coaches and competition, India expected a better performance from its elite athletes and those under the TOPS scheme.

"This is not expected of our experienced athletes who have been given all necessary facilities in the build-up to the Games. A review needs to be done on such below-par performance of our elite athletes," a top official in the Sports Ministry said.

"There will be a review of the performance along with the federations," the official added.

After a disappointing start Indian athletes bounced back in the last two days to win 11 gold medals and put the country in 4th place in the medal tally. Still India finished with 85 medals. In the previous edition in Huangzho India had crossed the 100-medal-mark finishing at a remarkable 106.

In nine sports, including badminton and shooting where the showing left a lot to be desired. In track and field, there was a shortfall of gold medals besides some athletes reported injuries and withdraw at the last-minute.

It could also see a restructuring of TOPS programme with emerging talents getting priority. "We will see whether we need to do a policy review," the official said.

In seven disciplines, India collected 20 gold medals in Huangzhou but failed to defend in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Ministry also wants to look into the number of athletes who reported injured after reaching Japan. There were nine such athletes,mostly in track and field, who withdrew at the last minute. It included Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel.

However, there were also a lot of positives to take, including 106 medal-winning debutants, even in team events.

The performance in archery, boxing and wrestling were outstanding and that has been noted by the Sports Ministry