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India’s participation in Asian Winter Games in doubt
Sports Ministry called for fresh trials in some sports even as IOA president Usha has backed the selection
New Delhi: India’s participation in the Asian Winter Games — scheduled to be held in Harbin, China, from February 7 — is in doubt after it was learnt that the organisers, the Olympic Council of Asia, on Sunday turned down accreditation requests for a new set of players in ice hockey and snowboarding.
On Sunday, the sports ministry cleared participation of a 23-member ice hockey team on the basis of trials in Leh with changes to the original team list sent by India. The Indian Olympic Association, it was learnt, reached out to the OCA requesting fresh accreditation but it has been refused, said a Winter Games official on condition of anonymity.
With the delegation registration meeting for the Games to be held on Monday, the IOA is awaiting a final sanction of the contingent from the Sports Ministry.
“IOA president PT Usha has made it clear to the sports ministry that because of a delay in financial sanction and attempts to organise fresh selection trials by government authorities, IOA intends to withdraw the participation of the Indian contingent from Asian Winter Games,” another Winter Games official told HT.
On December 7, IOA recommended a contingent of 76 athletes in ice skating, skiing (alpine and cross country) and ice hockey to the OCA and a sanction was sought from the sports ministry on December 18.
However, the ministry wrote back to the IOA on January 3, saying the proposal was examined by the Sports Authority of India and it was found that “many of the names recommended by IOA do not have any international exposure or have international rankings/performances.” The ministry also said: “participation in multi-sport events is not for providing international exposure or merely for participation purposes.” A copy of the letter is with HT.
The ministry said not more than the top three athletes/teams having previous international exposure should represent the country, thereby approving a quota of 35 athletes at cost to the government. The ice hockey men’s team (23 member) was not approved at first but later the ministry called for fresh trials in Leh on Sunday, saying it has received “separate lists of players from two different ice hockey bodies, neither of which is a recognized National Sport Federation.” Similarly, fresh selection trials was sought in ski and snowboarding — which is currently run by IOA’s ad hoc body.
Usha wrote to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday backing the team sent by IOA, saying the ice hockey team was selected by the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) which is an “affiliated unit of the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Indian Olympic Association and the selection process was conducted in accordance with the guidelines.”
“IOA recommended the contingent list to the sports ministry after following the due processes. The ministry is getting into selection of athletes which is not its domain,” said another official, citing a sports ministry circular from 2021.
The circular of June 30, 2021, says, “where the recognition of the concerned NSF is withdrawn or the annual recognition is not renewed or NSF is under suspension, IOA may take the responsibility of selection of athletes, conduct of coaching camps for participation in international competitions and submission of entries of Indian teams to the concerned international federation.”
