Indian Football Teams Not Allowed to Participate in Asian Games, Once Again

Historically, India holds the distinction of being the third-most successful men’s football team at the Asian Games.

Just as Indian football seemed to be gaining momentum and garnering attention with recent triumphs, an unfortunate turn of events has dealt a severe blow to the aspirations of the national men’s football team.

The Sports Ministry has refused to send the team for the upcoming 2023 Asian Games, undermining their achievements and dampening the hopes of passionate football fans across the country.

This setback marks the second consecutive time that the Indian football teams — both men and women — will miss out on the Asian Games.

A circular forwarded by the Government of India to all sports governing bodies on 15 July stated that only national teams ranked within the top eight in the continent will be permitted to participate in the Asian Games. Unfortunately, India’s men’s national football team currently sits at 18th in Asia, while the women’s team holds the 11th position in the AFC rankings. These rankings have effectively disqualified both teams from qualifying for the Asian Games scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China from 24 September to 8 October.

It is worth noting that India holds the distinction of being the third-most successful team in men’s football at the Asian Games. They have claimed the gold medal twice, in 1951 and 1960, and secured a bronze medal in 1970.

The women’s team, on the other hand, has had limited participation, appearing only twice in eight editions and not achieving a podium finish.

Big Blow For Next-Gen

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had initially planned for the national senior team’s head coach, Igor Stimac, to lead an Under-23 squad to the Asian Games, following the Kings Cup in Thailand. They had also shortlisted 40 players for the tournament, with a focus on Under-23 talent. After all, the Asian Games serves as an important platform for young talent and a chance for exposure on the international stage. For the record, the Asian Games has adhered to an Under-23 format since 2002, permitting only three players older than the age restriction to be part of each squad.

Now, the news of the team’s exclusion from the event comes as a disappointment to Indian football enthusiasts who were buoyed by the team’s recent success in the 2023 Intercontinental Cup and the 2023 SAFF Championship over the last month.

The timing also couldn’t have been any worse, as some of the U-23 players like Anwar Ali, Dheeraj Singh, Jeakson Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte or Apuia, Akash Mishra who would have been part of the Asian Games squad are expected to feature in the AFC Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in Qatar in January 2024. With their participation now uncertain, it will certainly dent their confidence going forward.

Former India fullback and present India U-16 coach Ishfaq Ahmed agrees.

“It does demotivate players. I am a coach now and I can sense how players feel. We have been dominating football in our region for a while now. And this is the next step for these players. These are tournaments that players want to play in order to improve further. We have a very good U-23 team and a lot of these players play for the senior team. So it is a big blow for them,” Ahmed told The Quint from Srinagar.

AIFF Boss, Holding IOA Posts

This is was not the first time that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has denied clearance for the Indian football team to participate in the Asian Games. In 2018, the team was similarly denied due to its ranking outside the top eight in Asia. In a similar situation in 2014, AIFF president Praful Patel’s persuasive efforts were necessary to secure India’s participation in the Games held in Incheon.

Interestingly, the current AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey finds himself in a delicate predicament. Notably, he holds the additional roles of acting CEO and joint secretary of the IOA.

Precedents of Exceptions

Although there is a provision within the Sports Ministry that allows for exceptions and relaxations based on expert recommendations and justifiable reasons, it remains uncertain whether the AIFF will receive the necessary leniency from the IOA. In the past, the central government had made exceptions, allowing teams that did not fulfill the criteria to participate in continental games such as men’s handball.

Given the circumstances, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its president Chaubey were confronted with the formidable challenge of persuading the Sports Ministry to reconsider its decision and grant permission for the Indian football team to compete in the Asian Games. However, on 19 July, it was decided that for team sports, teams who are not in top 8 of that particular event will not be sent to China.

Faulty 'Qualification Criteria'

The decision to exclude the Indian football team from the Asian Games, though, raises questions about the evaluation criteria employed by the IOA. While ranking plays a significant role, it is worth noting that India is not considered a footballing powerhouse in the continent. And therein should lie the argument for the AIFF.

The rankings in football create a circular process: in order to improve your rankings, you need to compete against teams ranked higher than you. However, to face those higher-ranked teams, you must participate in tournaments where they play. Unfortunately, with the IOA denying the opportunity, it becomes challenging for the Indian football teams to climb up the rankings. This decision then hampers their progress and hinders their chances of facing stronger opponents that could potentially help improve their rankings.

“I would request the Sports Ministry and the government to see football from a different prism. This is a global sport and the competition is immense. And we have been doing really well in recent times. Two years ago, if someone told me that we would beat Kuwait, I wouldn’t have believed it. But our team has done so. No one really knows how age-group football will turn out to be. But I can assure you one thing that we will be no pushovers. We have also steadily built a fan base because of our strong performances. Keeping all this in view, we should have gone to the Asian Games,” Ahmed said.

National Coach Wrote to PM

In a plea for intervention, Indian men’s football team head coach Igor Stimac reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, highlighting the team’s exclusion and the missed opportunity to represent the Indian flag on the global stage.

This decision has triggered widespread disappointment among dedicated fans of Indian football, who have taken to social media platforms, particularly Twitter, to express their frustration and showcase their displeasure at the exclusion of their beloved Blue Tigers from the Asian Games.

Despite all the outbursts, at present, the chances of Indian football teams participating in the Asian Games are now effectively nil, barring intervention or relaxation of criteria by the ministry.

Overall, then, the Indian football team’s denial to participate in the Asian Games is a setback not only for the players but for the entire nation. It represents a missed opportunity to showcase India’s progress and potential in the sport, leaving fans and enthusiasts yearning for a brighter future where Indian football can thrive on both regional and global stages.