The Sports Ministry will review India’s performance at the recently concluded Asian Games at a meeting with national sports federations on October 13, with athlete injuries, underperformance and preparation concerns expected to be among the key issues discussed. The review will follow India’s fourth-place finish in the overall medal standings at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, where the country won 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.

A Sports Ministry source said some experienced athletes appeared to be in a “comfort zone” and that their performances would be examined as part of the review. Injuries that emerged after athletes reached the Games are also expected to come under scrutiny. “Another issue was injuries. Players were declaring injuries after reaching the Games, how is that fair. Crores have been spent in preparing them,” the source said, raising questions over injury reporting and management ahead of major competitions.

Several prominent athletes either missed the Games or competed with injury concerns. Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra was ruled out after suffering an ankle ligament tear during training, while weightlifter Chanambam Rishikanta Singh withdrew with a knee injury. Athletes including Tejas Shirse and Shahnawaz Khan were also ruled out, while Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel competed after being cleared despite carrying niggles. Tennis player Yuki Bhambri also entered the competition with a thigh injury concern.

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The meeting is also expected to examine India’s performance in badminton, shooting and athletics, along with the allocation and release of funds under the Target Olympics Podium Scheme. India’s badminton campaign produced only a bronze in the men’s team event, with the country failing to win an individual medal for the first time in 12 years. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty exited in the opening round, while PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

Shooting delivered 15 medals, including three gold, eight silver and four bronze, but remained below India’s 22-medal haul at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women’s 10m air pistol final and returned without a medal after competing in four events, while Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai secured gold medals in shotgun events. Athletics remained India’s biggest medal contributor with 24 medals, but the gold tally fell from six at Hangzhou to one in Aichi-Nagoya, with the women’s 4x400m relay providing the sole gold.

India’s 85-medal tally was the country’s second-highest at an Asian Games but remained below the record 106 medals won at Hangzhou. The October 13 review is therefore expected to look beyond the final medal count and assess preparation, injury management, athlete selection and the effectiveness of government support. The Sports Ministry had said more than Rs 700 crore was spent preparing the Indian contingent during the three-year cycle, making the review significant as India prepares for its next major international targets and the Los Angeles Olympics.

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