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Asian Games cut leaves Indian wushu, judo athletes crying foul
The athletes were picked based on selection trials but missed the cut because they fell short of Sports Ministry’s criteria
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New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) decision to cut the size of the Asian Games contingent has sparked dissatisfaction among several federations.
Many federations are pointing out at the “ambiguity” in selection criteria based on rankings, especially for squads picked on the basis of selection trials.
Several sports, including tennis, rowing, judo, gymnastics, and weightlifting, have had their squads trimmed for the Asian Games. SAI stuck to the Sports Ministry’s selection criteria of at least top-6 finish at the Asian Championships or previous Asian Games as benchmark for individual athletes. For team sports, the benchmark was set at a top-8.
In wushu, for example, a squad of 12 was selected based on trials. Five athletes have not been cleared. A Wushu Association of India official said the excluded athletes reached out asking why the trials were held if they were ultimately excluded.
“We have relayed the athletes’ feelings to SAI. It is possible that in open selection trials, the athlete who wins in a particular weight class may not figure in the top-six (criteria). What about athletes who could not participate in the Asian Championships due to injury or any other reason and made a comeback through trials,” said a WAI official.
The Sports Ministry has also made a transparent, open in-camera selection trials mandatory over the last year.
Even Arunachal Pradesh chief Minister Pema Khandu wrote to the Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asking him to consider Mercy Ngaimong for the Asian Games.
SAI had raised objections on five wushu athletes, including Ngaimong, a leading wushu athlete who has won two gold medals at the 7th Nordic Open, Stockholm last year and silver medals in women’s Jianshu at Oceania International Championship at Brisbane and at Moscow Wushu Stars, 2026.
Ngaimong’s participation at the Asian Championships was cleared at “no cost to government,” and she could not attend.
In judo, only three of the 12 names have been approved, leaving out Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist Harsh Singh and bronze medallist Unnati Sharma. India won four medals in judo in Glasgow.
“They could have at least considered medal winners from the CWG. We have a scenario where CWG medal winners are not in the team, and those who have not won medal are in the team. Naturally, the CWG medal winners are shattered,” said a judo official.
In tennis, five players have been excluded, including promising Vaishnavi Adkar and Manas Dhamne. That has led Rohan Bopanna question the selection process.
