India men’s, women’s football teams to participate in Asian Games after exemption by Sports Ministry

India men’s and women’s football teams have been granted permission to participate in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year. The Sports Ministry decided to relax the existing permission criteria. India are not among the top eight Asian teams - men are ranked 18th and women 11th - and that didn’t meet the condition set by the Sports Ministry. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) appealed to the Sports Ministry to allow the men’s and women’s sides to take part in the prestigious event. Men’s national team head coach Igor Stimac also sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention.

Good news for Indian football lovers!

Our national football teams, both Men’s and Women’s, are set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has decided to relax the rules to facilitate participation of both the…

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 26, 2023

Sports minister Anurag Thakur confirmed the news on his Twitter handle on Wednesday. “Good news for Indian football lovers! Our national football teams, both Men’s and Women’s, are set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has decided to relax the rules to facilitate participation of both the teams, which were not qualifying as per the existing criterion. Keeping in mind their latest performances in the recent times, the Ministry decided to grant the relaxation. I am sure they will put their best foot forward in the Asian Games and make our country proud,” he added. Since 2002, football at the Asian Games has been an U-23 affair with three players above that age being allowed.

…against big footballing countries.
Big thanks to our President @kalyanchaubey , SG @Shaji4Football and all the others who were involved to help us win this battle!

— Igor Štimac (@stimac_igor) July 26, 2023

…against big footballing countries.
Big thanks to our President @kalyanchaubey , SG @Shaji4Football and all the others who were involved to help us win this battle!

— Igor Štimac (@stimac_igor) July 26, 2023

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AIFF had earlier planned that Stimac would take an Under-23 Indian side to the September 23 to October 8 Asian Games after the King’s Cup in Thailand (September 7-10). The national body wishes to send a large contingent with Sunil Chhetri the captain. The AIFF has prepared a list of 50 under-23 players and forwarded it to the respective clubs. They plan on raising another pool of U-23 players, who could be used for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers and the King’s Cup in Thailand. Earlier, Sports Ministry maintained that only teams which have been among the top-8 in the continent in the last year will be approved for the Games. In a letter sent to IOA and all the National Sports Federations (NSFs), Sports Ministry said, “for team events, only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last one year should be considered for participation in Asian Games”. However, there is a provision in the Sports Ministry’s instructions sent to the IOA and NSFs, “Where, in the opinion of the experts of specific sports disciplines, and that of Sports Authority of India, participation of individuals and teams in relaxation of the above criteria is recommended with justifiable reasons, the same will be considered in the Ministry for appropriate decision.” AIFF appealed to the Sports Ministry to reconsider the decision. Stimac made a plea for an exception to be made for the football teams. “A humble appeal and sincere request to Honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi ji and Hon. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian games. We will fight for our nation’s pride and the flag! Jai Hind!” Stimac had tweeted, attaching a screenshot of his statement as well. IOA president PT Usha, however, is believed to not be in favour of the national football team’s participation in the upcoming Asian Games. But AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, a BJP politician and IOA joint secretary, pushed for football teams’ participation in the Asian Games and met Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard. The Sports Ministry eventually gave a green signal to the football teams. AIFF president Chaubey thanked the ministry for relaxing the selection criteria.

Happy to inform that Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs,& IOA have confirmed @indianfootball’s participation at #AsianGames
I thank Sh @narendramodi sir Sh @ianuragthakur ji & GoI for their support
Equally important to our fans for your resolute for #IndianFootball https://t.co/r0ntVMNGzf

— Kalyan Chaubey (@kalyanchaubey) July 26, 2023

On behalf of the entire #IndianFootball fraternity, our players, fans, clubs & stakeholders, met Shri @ianuragthakur ji to personally thank him for endorsing the cause of @IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/LPFk7AaHzS

— Kalyan Chaubey (@kalyanchaubey) July 26, 2023

“Happy to inform that Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs,& IOA have confirmed @indianfootball’s participation at #AsianGames I thank Sh @narendramodi sir Sh @ianuragthakur ji & GoI for their support Equally important to our fans for your resolute for #IndianFootball,” Chaubey tweeted. Indian men’s team entered the sub-100 rankings recently, having won the SAFF Championship where it played against Lebanon and Kuwait. It also won the Intercontinental Cup and the tri-nation football tournament featuring the Kyrgyz Republic and Myanmar. The women’s team beat Kyrgyzstan twice in the Olympic Qualifiers Round 1.