India Sent Bare Minimum Athletes to Asian Winter Games Due to Inadequate Infrastructure and Strict Selection Criteria
New Delhi: The Indian government has been criticized for its decision to send only 41 out of 76 winter sports athletes to the upcoming Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, a move that has been justified by a strict selection criterion that favors international participation and top rankings. This decision has left many athletes disappointed and frustrated, especially those from disciplines such as ice hockey, snowboarding, and ski mountaineering.
According to sources, the government's circular allowed only international athletes or those ranked in the top six of individual events or top eight of team events to receive support for the event at no expense. This resulted in the entire squads being disallowed from traveling to China for the February 7-14 games.
The Ice Hockey Federation of India has taken a particular hard hit, with their entire squad denied participation in the event. The federation expressed its disappointment and frustration through a statement, emphasizing that it had undergone thorough evaluation with the International Ice Hockey Federation and Olympic Council of Asia before being invited to take part.
"We are players and depriving (us) of this kind of opportunity is a slap on our face as well as on the future of ice hockey in Ladakh," the federation said. This sentiment was echoed by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha, who took exception to the government's decision and pointed out the lack of time for training due to India's challenging winter conditions.
"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. Such criteria, if applied, undermine the very purpose of promoting winter sports in the country," Usha wrote in her letter to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
The government has been under pressure to improve India's infrastructure and support system for winter sports athletes, with many attributing their poor performances to inadequate facilities and lack of resources. This incident highlights the challenges that Indian winter sports athletes face and the need for increased support from the government to promote these sports.