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2025 Asian Winter Games: Sports Ministry cuts Indian squad in half
The ones suffering the brunt include the Indian ice hockey team and the entire contingent in snowboarding and ski mountaineering.
IOA President PT Usha (left) and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya (right)
The ongoing tussle between the Indian Olympic Association and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has escalated with the latter not approving almost half the Indian contingent for the upcoming 2025 Asian Winter Games.
As per a report in The Tribune, the Sports Ministry has cut down the Indian squad for the quadrennial event to just 35 athletes from the 76 names sent for approval by the Indian Olympic Association.
The ones suffering the brunt include the Indian ice hockey team and the entire contingent in snowboarding and ski mountaineering.
The Ministry headed by Mansukh Mandaviya is adamant that international athletes, who are ranked top-six in the rankings in individual and top-eight in the team events would be allowed to travel to the Games at cost to the government.
The Indian Olympic Association PT Usha has reportedly shot a letter to the Ministry, questioning the decision.
"The application of strict selection criteria, such as international participation or being among the top three rankings for individual/team events, is therefore inappropriate for winter sports," Usha is said to have written.
"Such criteria, if applied, undermine the very purpose of promoting winter sports in the country. Moreover, implementing such requirements just 30 days before the games is unfair to the athletes and contrary to their aspirations," she added.
Usha further argued that the ranking criteria were relaxed for the delayed 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The 2025 Asian Winter Games is slated to be held in Harbin, China from February 7 to 14.
