India’s Asian Games 2026 campaign has prompted questions over elite athlete performance, with the Sports Ministry set to review results across nine sports and assess the effectiveness of TOPS support.
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India’s shooter Manu Bhaker in Aichi during the Asian Games 2026(Photo: IANS)
The Sports Ministry is set to review India’s performance at the 2026 Asian Games, with particular attention on experienced athletes who failed to win medals despite receiving government supportThe review will involve national sports federations and examine the results of athletes backed by the Target Olympics Podium Scheme (TOPS).
India finished fourth in the medal standings at the Aichi-Nagoya Games with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronzeHowever, the overall tally was lower than India’s 106-medal return at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
89 experienced athletes return without medals
One of the biggest concerns for the Ministry is the performance of 89 experienced athletes in India’s contingent of around 500 competitors who failed to win a single medal.
Of these, 34 athletes were part of the TOPS programme, with Rs 27.16 crore spent on their preparationThe scheme supports elite athletes through training, exposure tours, coaching and competition opportunities.
The Ministry expected better results from athletes who had access to these facilities before the Games.
“This is not expected of our experienced athletes who have been given all necessary facilities in the build-up to the GamesA review needs to be done on such below-par performance of our elite athletes,” a top official in the Sports Ministry said.
“There will be a review of the performance along with the federations,” the official added.
Badminton, Shooting and Athletics under scanner
The review will cover nine sports, including badminton and shooting, where India’s results fell short of expectationsAthletics also saw a shortfall in gold medals, while injuries and late withdrawals added to the concerns.
India had won 20 gold medals across seven disciplines at the previous Asian Games but could not defend its titles in those sports in Aichi-Nagoya.
The Ministry is also expected to examine why nine athletes reported injuries and withdrew from their events after reaching JapanAmong them were track and field athletes Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel.
The review could lead to changes in the TOPS programme, including a greater focus on emerging athletesOfficials will assess whether the existing policy needs to be revised.
“We will see whether we need to do a policy review,” the official said.
India’s strong finish offers some positives
Despite a difficult campaign, India finished strongly, winning six gold medals in the final two days to secure fourth place in the standings.
The country also had several encouraging performances, with 106 medal-winning debutants featuring in the contingent, including athletes in team eventsArchery, boxing and wrestling were among the sports that delivered strong results and earned praise from the Ministry.
The review will look at the dismal performances and the areas where Indian athletes improved, so as to enhance preparations for future international meets.
