As the Indian football team did not match the Sports Ministry’s requirement of being ranked among the top-8 sides in the continent, it is possible that it would miss the Asian Games for the second consecutive year.
Igor Stimac, head coach of the national senior squad, was scheduled to lead an Under-23 team to the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8 following the Kings Cup in Thailand (September 7–10), according to an earlier plan by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Football has been a U-23 sport at the Asian Games since 2002, with three players older than that age allowed on a team.
The Sports Ministry has stated that “for team events, only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last one year should be considered for participation in the Asian Games” in a letter sent to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and all of the National Sports Federations (NSFs).
India is not even close to making the top 8 in Asia. The Asian Football Confederation presently ranks it as the 18th-best nation.
The AIFF further declared that it would ask the sports ministry to rethink its choice.r