Anurag Thakur delivered great news for fans on Twitter, confirming the participation of both Blue Tigers and Blue Tigress at the showpiece event.
Football will represent India at the 2023 Asian Games. This is after the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports gave the green signal to both the men’s and women’s teams to participate in the showpiece event. The development comes weeks after it was announced that the two teams would not participate in the continental event. This is as per the sports ministry criteria. It led to a mass appeal with several prominent Indian footballers turning up. They urged the authorities to give the go-ahead to the Sunil Chhetri and Ashalata Devi-let sides.
Finally, on Wednesday, based on their recent string of impressive performances, union sports minister Anurag Thakur sent out the announcement every Indian football fan has been waiting for. He confirmed the participation of both Blue Tigers and Blue Tigress at the showpiece event.
(Read Also: Igor Stimac appeals PM Modi to allow Indian football team to participate in Asian Games)
Good news for Indian football lovers! Our national football teams, both Men’s and Women’s, are set to participate in the upcoming Asian Games. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has decided to relax the rules to facilitate participation of both teams, which were not qualifying as per the existing criteria. Keeping in mind their latest performances in recent times, the Ministry decided to relax. I am sure they will put their best foot forward in the Asian Games and make our country proud,” he tweeted.
Football at the Asian Games is an Under 23 affair and only three senior members are permitted in a team. It will be interesting to see who the three players will be traveling with the side for the quadrennial event. Both senior men’s and women’s teams have key matches lined up during that period.
The men’s side will participate in the King’s Cup in Thailand, played from September 7 to 10. The women, on the other hand, have crucial Round 2 AFC Olympic Qualifiers fixtures right after the tournament. The AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers are set to take place between October 26 and November 1 at the JAR Stadium and the Bunyodkor Stadium, in Tashkent. India will face Japan (October 26), Vietnam (October 29), and hosts Uzbekistan (November 1) in their Group C fixtures. The Asian Games will be held between September 23 to October 8. The good news for the budding U-23 men’s side is that Stimac will be at the helm in Hangzhou, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) stated last month.
The Indian football team doesn’t meet the sports ministry’s criteria of being ranked among the top-8 sides on the continent. This was the reason behind the IOA not sending the contingent to China. The IOA had refused to clear the football team at the previous Asian Games on the same ground. India is currently ranked 18 by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The women’s and men’s teams have been spectacular in recent months. Due to winning the Intercontinental Cup and SAFF Championships earlier this month, the men’s unit entered the top-100 of men’s rankings and is currently ranked 99. The women also secured a spot in the second round of Olympic qualifiers with a 5-0. This was followed by a 4-0 win against Kyrgyz Republic in the first round Group G match.
