The Asian Games 2023 is set to be taking place in Hangzhou in September, but the Indian football team is set to miss out on a ministry decision.
The Indian sports ministry has ordered the Indian Olympic Association for sending teams to the Asian Games which rank in the top 8 in terms of continental rankings. In football, India are ranked 18th in Asia and thus participation is denied by default.
The Indian football team has done a decent job this year and possible participation in the Asian Games can become a paving stone for their upsurge. But due to India’s internal policies, the Blue Tigers may have to sit out at home.
Amid this, India coach has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a possible consideration to allow the Indian football team to participate in the Asian Games 2023.
“A humble appeal and sincere request to Honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi
ji and Hon. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian games. We will fight for our nation’s pride and the flag!
Jai Hind!” Stimac wrote in an emotional Twitter post on Monday (July 17).
A humble appeal and sincere request to Honourable Prime Minister Sri @narendramodi ji and Hon. Sports Minister @ianuragthakur, to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian games ????????
We will fight for our nation’s pride and the flag! ????????
Jai Hind!#IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/wxGMY4o5TN— Igor Štimac (@stimac_igor) July 17, 2023
His tweet further includes an elaborated message where the Croatian has depicted how this participation can be crucial for some of the younger players and the generation as a whole.
The Blue Tigers’ apex body AIFF has already shortlisted 40 players for the Asian Games, and the senior team coach Igor Stimac was also supposed to be taking charge of the mostly youth-based team in the continental extravaganza.
It is to be seen how the Indian sports ministry and the Prime Minister react to the plead as a government nod may well be enough for the football team to participate in the Asian Games.
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