Asian Games 2026: AFI Unveils Stricter Qualification Standards And Selection Criteria

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Saturday announced the qualification marks for the track and field events at the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Japan in September, with stricter standards than the sports ministry criteria in majority of them.

AFI spokesperson and former president Adille Sumariwalla said the federation has applied higher standard than the sports ministry's sixth-place finishing mark in the previous Asian Games in China for selection. He said the aim is to win more medals than the Asian Games held in Hangzhou in 2023.

"We won 29 medals, six of them gold at the previous edition. Our aim is to better our performance. The government has stipulated sixth place for qualification. We have gone to make things slightly more competitive in certain events," Sumariwalla said while addressing a press conference here.

"In men's 200m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, shot put, discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw and decathlon, we have taken fifth place while we have set fourth-place standard in men's 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. Marathon is sixth place.

"In the women's event, we have made fifth-place mark in 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 3000m steeplechase, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put. Discus throw, javelin throw. 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay are fourth-place mark. In 4x400m mixed relay, we are looking at fourth-place mark, marathon sixth-place mark."

"In these events, there is no benefit in taking others (lower-ranked athletes)."

He said the qualification standards were published after three months of discussion with coaches, athletes and research team keeping two things in mind.

"First is we should not miss a medal. Second, we don't have to take passengers. People will qualify in sixth place but no point if there is no chance (to be in medal bracket). They will qualify but they will be nowhere. They become liability to the rest of the team.

"We don't have any data on the mixed relay. The selection committee will look at it later and create qualifying mark. There will be Asian Relays, World Relays before Asian Games."

The same is for 35km marathon race walk (mixed team), a relatively new event, as the AFI has not much data.

“We have given our reasoning and explanation to Sports Ministry why at certain events we are doing better than sixth place. The government seems to be okay in the meeting."

Mandatory Number Of Events For Asian Games Selection

The athletes will have to take part in the National Inter-State Senior Championships in Bhubaneswar from July 8 to 12 and two events before that to be considered for Asian Games selection unless he or she gets exemption with written permission. But, the selection committee will have the final say.

"The athletes must participate in minimum two events before Inter-State, three in total, including state meet. The idea is if the athletes turn up in three events, the up-down performance will be understood. Our fight is to ensure that our athletes are clean.

"We would like as far as possible to get the performance at the last qualifying event.

Otherwise, people qualify in January and they don't do anything after that. Nobody knows what they have eaten or not eaten.

"And people get caught (for doping). So, they have to take part, one, in the state meet and then two events organised by the AFI. Only then, they can run the final trial. So, if they run three times, their transition will be understood. Whether the transition is upward or downward."

He said that the members of the selection committee, of which he was recently made chairman replacing legendary runner Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, have no conflict of interest.

"Our selection committee members are Asian medallists, Arjun Awardees, Olympians, Padma Shrees, Khel Ratna Awardees. Even the President and Secretary have no roles as they are ex-officio members.

"We have kept such people who have no connection with athletes."

'Incentivisation At Junior Level Should Stop'

Sumariwalla said he has told the ministry that incentivisation at junior level has to stop in order to tackle doping. "I am not against incentivisation. But I have told the ministry that incentivisation has to stop at junior level. I have said 'put it into a fund and give it to them at the age of 25 or whatever'... a lot of this (doping) is happening because of incentivisation."

An advocate of criminalisation of doping for long, Sumariwalla said the drug suppliers, including coaches, will have to be handed deterrent punishment.

"We are also pushing for criminalisation of doping. There are at least 10 to 12 countries who have put criminalisation of doping. And it has really helped them. We should go after the drug suppliers.

"Those who sell drugs, distributors, including coaches, should be handed deterrent punishment. We don't have enough provisions in our Act to stop this. The federation can't do anything more than giving intelligence to NADA.

"You will get the most syringes in junior events. So, who is giving them? You saw somebody is arrested and serving a 3-year prison in Kenya. To me, he is only a carrier. You have to go deep.

"We have talked to NADA to do random dope testing in state meets also, wherever possible."

Sumariwalla said the focus this year will be on the Asian Games but the AFI will also send a "strong squad" in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (July 23 to August 2).