Indian badminton medallist H S Prannoy has strongly criticised the 2026 Asian Games organisers for a 'sad' event experience for athletes and a 'cruel' competition schedule for badminton, citing issues with accommodation and the lack of a dedicated athletes' village.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games despite suffering a knee injury during her quarterfinal bout. She revealed that the injury hampered her performance in the semifinal, preventing a higher finish. Balhara, a two-time Asian Games medallist, also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Indian kurash athletes due to the lack of a recognised national federation and reliance on private support.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extended their congratulations to Indian athletes Neeraj Chopra, Yash Vir Singh, Yamini Maurya, and Tejaswin Shankar for their medal-winning performances at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, praising their dedication and historic achievements.
Rohan Bopanna, India's former world number one doubles player, has been excluded from the AITA's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster. This exclusion is due to his failure to meet the mandatory one-year retirement criterion, as he announced his professional retirement on November 1, 2025, just shy of the October 16, 2026, deadline for the roster. Despite inquiring about his eligibility and receiving initial assurance, his continued participation on the Pro ATP tour until October 2025 meant he was still considered active.
India finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, a significant dip from the previous edition's record haul. While traditional strongholds like shooting and athletics underperformed, breakthroughs in archery, wrestling, golf, boxing, hockey, and cricket showcased a broadening sporting base. The performance serves as a reality check on sustaining progress towards top global rankings and highlights areas for improvement in mental conditioning and preparation.
2014 Asian Games medallist hammer thrower Manju Bala banned for 5 years for doping
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced a 48-member Indian team for the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, featuring talented athletes like Shahnavaz Khan, Mohammed Ashfaq, and Pooja.
Seasoned kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat has been named India's male flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony, replacing shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor. Toor was unable to attend due to not receiving his ceremonial kit in time, a logistical issue stemming from the athletics team's acclimatisation camp near Tokyo.
A 21-member Indian athletics team, led by Animesh Kujur, will participate in five events at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana. The team includes eight women and will focus on events including the mixed relays and men's relays.
Indian swimmers Thanuja S, Beena S, and Lakka Rajini secured gold medals in the women's 200m butterfly, while Yogesh Kumar, Tarun Tokas, and Manikandan Kandeth won their respective men's events at the 2nd Asian Masters Swimming Championship 2026 in Bengaluru.
An ad-hoc committee overseeing Indian table tennis has removed official ranking points from national tournaments, including the upcoming Panchkula edition, causing significant anxiety among players like Ankur Bhattacharya. The committee, formed after the Table Tennis Federation of India's suspension, states its mandate is to protect athletes but will only award points once an official calendar is finalised, impacting team selections.
The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya, Japan, with a vibrant opening ceremony. Emperor Naruhito declared the Games open, which saw contingents from 45 nations and the OCA Refugee Team participate in the athletes' parade.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) pledges to collaborate with NADA and the Sports Ministry to address doping concerns after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) categorised India as a high-risk country for doping violations.
India's Asian Games campaign looked bleak in Nagoya. A slow medal start saw the country slip to around 12th, before a late surge took India back to fourth with 85 medals.
Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh felicitated three state hockey players who won gold at the 20th Asian Games 2026 in Japan. The players, including Sanglakpam Nilakanta Sharma, Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu, and Kharibam Bichu Devi, discussed employment opportunities and the state's sports policy with the CM.
Archery emerged as one of India's biggest success stories at the 2026 Asian Games, bringing in as many as five gold medals led by 17-year-old sensation Kumkum Mohod leading the way.
Indian para archers have delivered a strong performance at the World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad, assuring at least two medals in the Visually Impaired 1 category. World No. 1 Sheetal Devi topped the women's compound qualification, while Indian men's and women's teams secured top seeding, advancing directly to the semifinals. Several other Indian archers also progressed in individual and team events, highlighting the nation's growing prowess in para-archery.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured a silver medal at the Asian Games despite suffering an injury during his fourth attempt. His family in Palakkad, Keralam, experienced a mix of anxiety and joy as they watched him compete, celebrating his remarkable comeback from a previous career-threatening injury.
Indian judokas arriving for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow found their luggage missing, including essential training gear and uniforms. This incident follows a similar problem faced by the Indian boxing contingent just days prior, prompting the Indian Olympic Association to intervene.
Ashish Yadav secured a silver medal in the men's javelin throw at the World Athletics U20 Championships, marking India's first medal at the event. His throw of 74.09m placed him second, following South Africa's Jan-Hendrik Heymans who won gold. Yadav is now the second Indian to win silver in this event, after Neeraj Chopra.
Japan hosted a vibrant opening ceremony for the Asian Games in Nagoya, showcasing its technological advancements and cultural heritage. The event, themed 'Harmonic Heart Beat', welcomed 11,000 athletes from 45 nations, despite prior logistical challenges.
India will host the World Indoor Athletics Championships for the first time in 2028 in Bhubaneswar. The decision was made at the World Athletics Council meeting in Torun, Poland.
Teenage Indian para cyclist Lisha Das finished sixth and last in the women's C4-C5 4,000m individual pursuit qualifying event at the Commonwealth Games.
Suchika Tariyal secured India's first-ever medal in mixed martial arts at the Asian Games, winning a bronze in the women's traditional 60kg event. Despite a fiercely contested bout that ended in a draw, she lost the semifinal to Singapore's Hui Hoon Teo due to a lesser weight rule. Tariyal expressed disappointment with the decision but was proud of her historic achievement for the country.
India's kurash campaign at the Asian Games concluded with Vipin Kumar's pre-quarterfinal defeat in the men's 66kg event. He lost to South Korea's Hyeonsu Yoon, marking the end of India's participation in the sport with one bronze medal won by Pincky Balhara.
Mairaj Ahmad Khan, a 50-year-old Indian skeet shooter, is set to compete in his fourth Asian Games, showcasing remarkable longevity. The article traces his unique journey from a promising cricketer, who even played with Virender Sehwag, to becoming a decorated shooter with Olympic appearances and World Cup medals. Despite past disappointments, Khan approaches the upcoming games with renewed spirit, embodying wisdom gained over decades in sport.
Para-shooters have accused the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and its Shooting Technical Committee (STC) of financial corruption, extortion, and manipulation in the selection process for the upcoming Para Asian Games. They allege demands for a 20% commission from cash awards and manipulation of quota places, while the PCI denies all charges, asserting a merit-based selection.
Star Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar underwent minor ligament reconstruction surgery on his right ankle in London following an injury sustained at the Asian Games last month. This marks his second major surgery, having previously missed the Paris Olympics due to a left knee injury in 2024. Sreeshankar is now targeting a return to competition next season, with his sights set on the 2027 World Championships and the LA 2028 Olympics.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is poised to approve significant constitutional amendments to comply with the National Sports Governance Act 2025. These changes, already endorsed by the executive committee, will be formalised at a Special General Body Meeting. Key areas of reform include age and tenure guidelines for office bearers, which differ from the existing IOA rules, and a potential reduction in the Executive Committee's size. The General House will also discuss the upcoming December elections.
Rower Satnam Singh, who clinched a historic bronze medal in the men's double sculls at the 2026 Asian Games, stated the achievement belonged not just to him but to India's 1.4 billion people, marking the country's first medal in the event since 1951.
India added significantly to its Asian Games medal tally with strong performances across athletics, squash, and boxing. Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare secured silver medals in long jump and high jump respectively, while Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra earned bronzes. Despite high hopes, Indian squash players missed out on Olympic berths, settling for silvers. Boxing saw three athletes advance to semifinals, assuring more medals, though individual badminton campaigns concluded without a medal.
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, won three medals (two gold, one silver) at the 2026 Asian Games, including India's first individual Asian Games gold in women's trap shooting. She dedicated her medals to the Indian Army and its soldiers. Fellow Army Havildar Kamaljeet also secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event and expressed gratitude to the Army, with both athletes now targeting upcoming World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian para-athlete Dilip Mahadu Gavit, fresh off winning the Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal in the men's T47 100m with a Games record, dedicated his triumph to his coach Vaijanath Kale on Guru Purnima, crediting him for spotting his talent and transforming his career.
Nipam made a memorable international debut by winning the bronze medal in the 100m at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships. Other Indian athletes also showed promise in various events.
Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal in the women's 78kg Kurash event at the Asian Games, making her the first Indian to win two medals in the sport at the continental showpiece. Despite battling a knee injury sustained in the quarterfinals, Balhara fought valiantly before losing to South Korea's Sumin Mo in the semifinals. This achievement adds to her silver medal from the 2018 Jakarta Games.
Indian long jumper M Sreeshankar secured a silver medal at the Asian Games despite an injury during his fourth attempt. He expressed confidence that this fourth career silver would lead to a major gold, specifically targeting the 2028 Olympics. Sreeshankar highlighted the challenging weather conditions and the close competition, acknowledging luck played a role in his medal win.
Archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal have been named the first recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and Raja Randhir Singh Award, respectively, by the Indian Olympic Association. These awards recognise their exceptional performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where Mohod secured two archery golds and Kalkal won gold in wrestling.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Indian contingent that won medals at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, congratulating them for their impressive performances. He praised the athletes for making the country proud and shared his interaction on social media, highlighting their success as a motivation for youngsters.
Avinash Sable marked his winning steeplechase comeback after 14 months away, opening up about his ACL injury, lost confidence, difficult rehabilitation and renewed focus on Asian Games gold.
India's fencing campaign at the Asian Games concluded after the women's sabre team was defeated by Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals. Despite an earlier win against Indonesia, the Indian team, including C A Bhavani Devi, Shreya Gupta, and Jefarlin Simla, could not advance further, marking an underwhelming performance where no fencer reached the medal rounds.
