In a move that has excited Indian football enthusiasts, the nation’s men’s and women’s teams have received approval to compete in the 2023 Asian Games, taking place in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8. This decision arrives following a revision of regulations by the Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, enabling a more flexible approach towards the national sports federations’ dispatch of their teams to the Games, funded by the government.
Previously, the Ministry had communicated to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and other sports bodies that ‘only those teams which ranked among the top eight in Asia in the past year would be eligible to participate in the Asian Games.’ This presented a hurdle for the Indian football teams, as the men’s team currently ranks 18th in Asia, and the women’s team stands at 11th among AFC countries, both distant from the desired top eight position.
Speaking on the matter, Indian Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said, “In view of the teams’ recent performances, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has chosen to ease the rules. This will allow both teams, which were previously not eligible based on existing criteria, to participate.”
This change in approach is significant, especially when considering that the IOA, based on the same ranking criteria, had denied the Indian football teams’ participation in the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta. As such, the decision to revise these criteria has been warmly received by the Indian sporting fraternity.
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