The ministry in a statement said it “may not approve names of sportspersons of teams recommended by the National Sports Federations, if the aim is just for participation and not aiming for excellence (medal winning).”

Sixth-place finish at the 2023 Asian Games has been kept as the benchmark for individual events, while a top-eight finish at continental championships or a top eight ranking in Asia has been set as the selection standard for team sports.

This selection criteria will also apply for the participation of Indian athletes and teams in multi-sports events. Indian contingents for Para Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Indoor games, Asian Beach Games, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games will also be selected following the same criteria. However, the exception would be the Olympics and similar international competitions where the qualification standard is set by the respective international federations.

The ministry has also put an end to ‘no cost to government’ approvals.

“Only those sportspersons, coaches and support staff will be part of the contingent whose names have been cleared at cost to the government, and no additional sportspersons, coach and support staff will be included even at no cost to government,” it said.

In the past, athletes and teams have got clearances under the ‘no cost’ provision for international exposure. NSF officials and personal support staff of athletes have also been accommodated in the contingent under the provision. That will no longer happen. The move will ensure that the jumbo-sized contingent at the Asian Games will be pruned.

The announcement of the selection criteria comes a year before the 2026 Asian Games, to be hosted at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19-October 4. This gives enough time for the NSFs to implement it. “The framework is intended to ensure that all athletes, coaches and stakeholders are fully informed of the eligibility benchmarks and performance standards required for consideration.”

As per the criteria, in measurable sports for individuals where the sport was in the previous edition, sixth-place finish will be the benchmark. An athlete has to “match or better the sixth-place performance from the last Asian Games at a competition recognised by the international sports federation, held within the 12 months preceding the upcoming Asian Games.”

If that sport was not in the previous Games, results of the senior Asian Championships will be the benchmark.

In non-measurable individual sport, an athlete should have achieved a sixth or better finish at the last Asian Championships held within the last 12 months, or is ranked among the top six in Asia (as per international rankings) 10 days before the deadline for submitting the final list by name.

In sports where Asian Championships have not been held and international rankings are not updated, the athlete must have a top 6 finish amongst Asian nations in “equivalent international competitions”.

In team sports such as football, hockey, relays, doubles and mixed doubles, a top eight finish/rankings has been set as the standard. The criteria has made it tough for the Indian football team to make the cut for the Asian Games. The men’s football team is currently ranked 24th in Asia as per the FIFA rankings.

The NSF will be “eligible to nominate a team if either the team achieved a top-8 finish in the last Senior Asian Championships held within 12 months, or the team is ranked within the top 8 among Asian countries in international rankings as of 10 days before submission deadline of the final list.”

“If international rankings are not available and Asian Championships not conducted, the team must have secured a top 8 finish among Asian countries in the equivalent international competition.”