IOA rejects ministry’s proposal on Asian Games selection

The Indian Olympic Association (IOC) on Friday rejected the government’s proposal to relax Asian Games selection norms for some specific sports, saying the Sports Ministry’s concerns have already been addressed while picking the contingent earlier this month.

The development comes after the ministry, on July 18, had urged the IOA to relax selection norms in specific cases concerning athletes or sports who/which could not qualify due to lack of exposure or nonparticipation in ranking events but have a strong chance of either winning a medal or finishing in top four.

But the IOA stuck to its earlier criteria of picking athletes — top six in individual events and top eight in team sports — after a meeting of its Core Committee and Legal Committee.

“In the letter dated 18.07.2018, the Ministry has asked IOA to find out if any of the athletes or team who could not qualify among top 6 in individual athlete and top 8 in the team to examine whether they can come in top 4 in the Asian Games,” IOA President Narinder Batra said in a letter written to the Sports Secretary in response to the earlier missive of the ministry.

“The Core Committee and legal committee of the IOA met on Friday and after detailed discussions and having done complete exercise and those who met the criteria of top 6 and top 8 were accordingly considered and their names have already been forwarded,” Batra added.