The Athletics Federation of India on Saturday announced the qualifying standards for the 2026 Asian Games, going beyond the sports ministry’s selection criteria and making it tougher for athletes to book a spot at the event.
AFI spokesman and former president Adille Sumariwalla said the athletes have ample opportunities to peak at the right time and book tickets for the quadrennial event in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. “The AFI will select at least two eligible athletes in each of the events but the selection committee will take a final call on the total strength of the contingent for the Asian Games.”
While the ministry guidelines allow for athletes matching the 6th place finish in their event at the previous edition of the games to qualify, the AFI has made stricter norms in certain events including the 200m, 400m, 800m and hurdles. Selection in certain events including 21km race walk and 4×100 mixed relay will be under the purview of the selection committee at a later date.
Published – January 03, 2026 07:38 pm IST
