Sports Authority of India addresses concerns over Asian Games equestrian team selection

In preparation for the highly anticipated Asian Games in China this year, officials from the Sports Authority of India convened on Friday (May 19) to address the issue of team selection for the Games in Hangzhou.

Criticism has been directed towards the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) for its selection policy, which has drawn scrutiny for potentially excluding renowned Olympian Fouaad Mirza, as well as promising young talents Chirag Khandal and Shashank Singh Kataria.

To address the concerns surrounding their non-selection in the long list for the upcoming tournament, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials held a virtual meeting on Friday, connecting with Fouaad Mirza, Chirag Khandal, and Shashank Singh Kataria via Zoom.

Among the officials involved in the interaction with the players was Shiv Sharma, the Deputy Director General (DDG) of the Sports Authority of India.

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SAI Urges EFI to ensure fair selection process for Asian Games Equestrian Squad

In response to the ongoing concerns raised by the equestrian players, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has released an official statement acknowledging the situation.

The statement reveals that during the interaction with SAI officials, Chirag Khandal highlighted that the Supreme Court has directed the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) to include his name in the long list for the Asian Games.

Tokyo Olympian Fouaad Mirza and Shashank Kataria also expressed their request to be included in the long list. It was unanimously agreed upon by all the players that a fair and transparent selection process is of utmost importance in determining the equestrian participants for the event.

Taking note of the seriousness of the matter, SAI has promptly taken cognizance of the situation and has urged the EFI to expedite the decision-making process regarding the inclusion of the concerned players.

The Asian Games, initially scheduled for 2022 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will now be held in Hangzhou from September 23 to October 8, 2023.

Adding to the complexity, the EFI has introduced new Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) criteria for the squad selection, disregarding the previous MER scores. The EFI has stated that the previous scores were valid only for one year.

These developments emphasize the need for a thorough evaluation and resolution to ensure that the best and most deserving equestrian athletes represent India at the Asian Games.