Long-distance runner Abhishek Pal, selected for the Asian Games, has received a notice from NADA for an alleged doping violation. While not yet provisionally suspended, a banned substance, possibly a female fertility drug, was found in his sample, raising concerns about his participation in the upcoming games.
World champion Pramod Bhagat and Paralympic gold-winner Kumar Nitesh have assured India of medals at the Asian Para Games by reaching the men's singles SL3 semifinals. Other Indian shuttlers, including Krishna Nagar, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan, Manisha Ramdass, Sanjana Kumari, Abhijeet Sakhuja, Suhas LY, and Hardik Makkar, also delivered strong performances, advancing in various categories and securing multiple medals for the country.
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage secured the Asian Games gold medal, expressing regret over Neeraj Chopra's absence due to injury.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar believes the Indian women's cricket team is poised to dominate white-ball formats within two years, citing a strong talent pipeline from age-group cricket. He emphasizes a coaching philosophy focused on winning, discipline, and intense practice, drawing parallels to his Mumbai cricket upbringing. Muzumdar also highlights team unity and a positive dressing room atmosphere as crucial for success, similar to factors behind India's ODI World Cup win last November.
The Sports Ministry has removed para-shooting coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal from India's Para Asian Games contingent following allegations of kickbacks and protests from athletes. The contingent of 166 athletes and 109 support staff is set to compete in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting October 18, with several prominent Paralympians included despite selection controversies.
Indian weightlifter Usha secured the top spot in Group D of the women's 61kg category at the IWF World Championships, lifting a total of 212kg. Her compatriot Nirupama Devi finished fourth in Group C with a total of 211kg. Their final standings will be determined after the completion of Group A.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has approved significant constitutional changes to align with the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), allowing for longer tenures for office-bearers and revising age limits. These amendments, which have received preliminary approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), also impact the structure of the Executive Council and set the stage for upcoming elections, including those for the Athletes' Commission.
National Games silver medallist K M Deeksha has failed a dope test, according to sources. India maintains top spot in AIU list of currently ineligible athletes.
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari secured a gold medal with a new Games record in the men's shot put F46 event at the Asian Para Games.
Indian athlete Ayush Verma clinched a gold medal in the men's shot put F53 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, marking his second medal at the competition.
The Union Sports and Education Ministries, in collaboration with UNESCO, have launched the 'Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit' to promote clean sport values and integrity among students nationwide. The initiative, announced at NADA India's Clean Sport Conclave, aims to integrate values like respect and fairness into education through multilingual video modules. Ministers Mandaviya and Joshi emphasised the importance of this partnership in strengthening India's sporting ambitions and bridging the gap between education and sports.
Indian athlete Gulveer Singh secured three medals at the Asian Games, attributing his success to a strict vegetarian diet of pulses, chapati, and paneer, alongside mental strength derived from his devotion to Lord Hanuman. He became only the second Indian male to win three athletics medals in a single edition of the Games, running four races in five days and now setting his sights on Olympic and World Championship qualifications.
Former Indian shooter Rajeshwari Kumari has been appointed as the South Asia representative to the Olympic Council of Asia's (OCA) Athletes Committee. Her nomination was approved by the OCA Executive Board, bypassing elections held for other zonal positions. This appointment highlights her continued involvement in sports administration following a successful shooting career and her family's legacy in Olympic sports.
Bengaluru FC secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against NorthEast United FC in their Indian Super League encounter. Substitute Vinith Venkatesh scored in the 93rd minute to cancel out Jithin MS's earlier goal for NorthEast. Both teams had multiple chances, with goalkeepers Gurmeet Singh and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu making crucial saves throughout the match.
Paralympics silver medallist Bhavina Patel secured another victory at the Asian Para Games, defeating Jordan's Faten Eleimat in women's para table tennis. While Patel topped her group, other Indian paddlers like Sonalben Patel, Shubham Wadhwa, Ekta Bhyan, Jehan Madan, and Dattaprasad Chougule faced mixed results in their respective categories.
The AICF's proposed constitution could change the symbolism of its top office. The president may no longer remain merely the king on the chessboard -- important to the organisation but with limited reach -- and could become something closer to the queen, influencing internal governance, external representation and emergency decision-making.
Former national-level taekwondo player Sachin Chamaria, who suffered a spinal injury in 2008, has transitioned to boccia and is now competing at the Para Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He aims for a medal and hopes to raise awareness for the sport in India, having already made a winning start to his campaign.
Indian sprinter Simran has won her second gold medal at the Asian Para Games, triumphing in the women's 100m T12 event with a new Games record of 12.02 seconds on Wednesday. This follows her 200m gold on Tuesday, also achieved with a Games record. Simran, a 26-year-old Paralympics bronze medallist, is making a strong comeback with her new guide.
Paralympic Committee of India president Devendra Jhajharia on Thursday strongly defended the selection process for the upcoming Asian Para Games, insisting that all criteria prescribed by the PCI, Sports Ministry and SAI had been followed, while also leaving the door open for addressing concerns raised by protesting athletes.
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen, fresh from his Hylo Open victory, is focused on maintaining his momentum and qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals.
Sixteen-year-old para cyclist Lisha Das from Assam has made history by becoming the youngest athlete selected to represent India at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she will compete in the Para Track Cycling event.
The Sports Authority of India, Kolkata, felicitated Asian Games gold medallists Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and Kirti Sharma, along with bronze medallist rower Satnam Singh, for their outstanding performances. The athletes expressed gratitude for the support, with Sahil also securing an Olympic quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Paralympic champions Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel have been chosen as flag bearers for the Indian contingent at the upcoming Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from October 18 to 24. Both athletes have significant achievements in their respective sports, and their selection aims to inspire the team.
India concluded its badminton campaign at the Asian Para Games with an impressive haul of three gold, five silver, and eight bronze medals, totalling 16. Nitesh Kumar, Naveen Sivakumar, and the pair of Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi secured the gold medals, showcasing India's growing prowess in para-badminton.
Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan congratulated Alphia James and Pallavi Kaluvehalli for securing India's first-ever bronze medal in wheelchair badminton at the 2026 Asian Para Games. The CM praised their resilience and determination, while James shared her personal journey and hopes for government support.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi announced that the Centre and the Sports Ministry are fully supporting Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar's urgent surgery in London. Sreeshankar, who won a silver at the Asian Games, sustained an injury and will undergo ligament reconstruction on October 13, with the Centre covering all costs for his treatment and rehabilitation.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi announced that the Centre and Union Sports Ministry are fully supporting Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar's urgent surgery in London. Sreeshankar, who won a silver at the Asian Games but sustained an injury, will undergo ligament reconstruction on October 13, with the Centre covering all costs to ensure his return to competition and preparation for the Olympics. The athlete had previously expressed disappointment over the lack of support from the Kerala state government.
Vithya Ramraj won three medals at the Asian Games and broke P T Usha's 42-year-old record. Her twin Nithya, an international athlete herself, ruled out of the Games by an injury, looks back at their journey from a rented home to a podium finish.
Durgeshwar Singh of India won the silver medal in the 90 kg category at the 6th Acropolis International Wushu Championship held in Athens, Greece.
Indian para shooters Millie Shah, Mona Agarwal, and Avani Lekhara secured a gold medal in the R2 women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 team event at the Changwon 2026 WSPS Para Shooting World Championships. The men's team also won silver, and individual medals were claimed by Mona Agarwal (silver) and Avani Lekhara (bronze), significantly boosting India's medal tally.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
Indian boxers, including Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Commonwealth Games champions, face challenging draws at the Asian Games.
Gulveer Singh has become the first Indian to win a medal in the men's 10,000m event at the Commonwealth Games, securing a silver medal at the 2026 edition and marking a significant achievement for Indian athletics.
Basant Kumar Meghwal and Shahnavaz Khan became the first Indians to win a medal each in high jump and long jump at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India's Asian Games medal-winners, including the gold-winning cricket teams, on Thursday. He praised their achievements, highlighting India's growing strength in sports and its ambition to become a credible host for major international events, including a bid for the 2036 Olympics. Modi also emphasised the government's support for athletes and urged medallists to mentor the next generation.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has secured her spot in the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in December, demonstrating her continued prowess at the highest level. The two-time Olympic medallist recently clinched the Hylo Open and Japan Open titles, alongside a runner-up finish at the French Open, significantly boosting her world ranking. Sindhu firmly believes that age is not a limiting factor, asserting that '31 is the new 21,' and attributes her sustained success to diligent body care, strategic scheduling, and an unwavering passion for badminton.
Indian kabaddi player Brijendra Singh Choudhary has been stripped of his silver medal from the Asian Beach Games after failing an in-competition dope test. He tested positive for the prohibited diuretic brinzolamide and has accepted the sanction, leading to the disqualification of his results.
Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is focused on making a strong comeback next year after sustaining an ankle ligament injury, with his sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games.
Quimcy D'Souza, a self-funded and self-coached Indian teqball player, competed at the Asian Games with the aim of popularising the sport in India. Despite narrowly missing out on two bronze medals, D'Souza views her journey as a crucial first step towards establishing teqball in the country and inspiring more athletes.
Indian sprinter Simran secured a gold medal and set a new Games record in the women's 200m T12 event at the Asian Para Games on Tuesday. Her compatriot Tejalben Damor also won a bronze in the same competition. Simran, a Paris Paralympics bronze medallist, overcame dietary challenges to achieve her win, while debutant Tejalben expressed determination for her upcoming 400m race.