As preparations intensify for the upcoming OCA General Assembly, Deputy Director General Vinod Tiwari outlined the council\u2019s plans to introduce a qualification system for the Asian Games. The proposed system would ensure that only teams meeting specific criteria would qualify for the continental sporting extravaganza.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe Asian Games have become increasingly unmanageable due to the large number of athletes participating,\u201d Tiwari explained during a recent media interaction. \"Last year\u2019s Hangzhou Asian Games saw over 15,000 athletes, with team sports contributing significantly to this number. As we look ahead to the 2026 Games in Japan, which will be hosted in Nagoya, managing such a vast number of participants could become impossible.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The discussions around this reform are part of broader talks with various sports federations, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), to reduce the number of teams competing in the Games. The objective is to introduce a qualification phase for team sports, ensuring that only those teams that meet specific performance standards will be eligible to compete.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe challenge is that when there is no qualification system, every country sends their teams, which can overwhelm the host nation,\u201d Tiwari noted. \u201cBy implementing a qualification system, we aim to make the Games more manageable and sustainable for future hosts.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The potential changes could have significant implications for countries like India. The Indian men\u2019s and women\u2019s football teams were granted special entry into the Hangzhou Asian Games after appeals from the Indian Olympic Association and the All-India Football Federation (AIFF), despite their rankings being below the top eight at the time. If the new qualification criteria are strictly enforced, India might face challenges in securing spots in certain disciplines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tiwari emphasised that while the primary goal is to introduce a qualification system to manage the number of participants effectively, the OCA remains open to considering special requests from nations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf there are special requests from countries, including India, we will certainly consider them. However, the primary focus will be on implementing a fair and manageable qualification process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tiwari emphasised that while the primary goal is to introduce a qualification system to manage the number of participants effectively, the OCA remains open to considering special requests from nations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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