18 Indian athletes sent home after being found overage

The Asian Youth Games is currently underway in the Chinese city of Nanjing

Eighteen young Indian athletes have been forced to prematurely return home from the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing after they were found to be overage and subsequently disqualified.

The event necessitated that all participating athletes be under the age of 16, but that was not the case with most members of the Indian contingent.

The athletes had already reached China when they were told that they had to head back. The Indian athletes are participating in the event as ‘Independent Olympic Athletes’ as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) continues to remain suspended.

This incident represents the second major faux pax on the part of the Indian authorities after four badminton players landed in Nanjing four days ago, only to find out that they had not even been entered in their respective events.

“AFI thought that the athletics in the Youth Games would follow the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) rules according to which post 1996-born players were eligible. The players were picked accordingly. But the Games are being held as per the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules. I am sure the organizers must have sent the rules of the Games to every federation, but someone might not have bothered to read them,” a source close to the contingent told TOI.

What is surprising though is that no objection regarding the athletes’ age had cropped up when the list was originally sent to the IOA. Their online applications were accepted and they were given the necessary accreditation before the shock disqualification.

“I got calls from the delegation about this issue. I am trying to confirm it. I have asked the AFI to explain as to what happened exactly,” said Vijay Kumar Malhotra, acting president of the suspended IOA.