The Sports Ministry will review India’s performance at the 2026 Asian Games with the national federations, the Hindustan Times reported on 8 October 2026.
Quick Facts
| India’s medals | 85 |
| Previous Games (Hangzhou) | 106 |
| Final position | Fourth |
| Experienced athletes with no medal | 89, in a contingent of about 500 |
| Of those, on TOPS | 34 |
| Spent on those 34 | ₹27.16 crore |
What the Ministry Said
“This is not expected of our experienced athletes who have been given all necessary facilities in the build-up to the Games,” a senior ministry official said. “A review needs to be done on such below-par performance of our elite athletes.”
TOPS, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, pays for training, coaching and overseas exposure for athletes considered medal prospects.
Where India Fell Short
- In seven disciplines where India won 20 golds in Hangzhou, it failed to defend them
- Performances in nine sports, including badminton and shooting, are under discussion
- Track and field produced fewer golds than hoped
The Injury Question
The ministry also wants to examine how many athletes reported injured after arriving in Japan. Nine, mostly in track and field, withdrew at the last minute. They included Jyothi Yarraji and Praveen Chithravel.
A Possible Change to TOPS
The review could lead to a restructuring of the scheme, with emerging athletes given priority. “We will see whether we need to do a policy review,” the official said.
The Positives
India recovered from a slow start to win 11 gold medals in the last two days.
There were 106 debutants among the medal winners. The ministry noted outstanding performances in archery, boxing and wrestling.
Source: Hindustan Times (8 October 2026).
Featured image: A ministerial visit to the Sports Authority of India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, in 2012 (file photo). Photo by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
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