"Back-channel negotiations" between AIFF and IOA are on to allow Indian football team's participation in Asian Games 2023 - Reports

Amid all the uproar after the revelation that the Indian football team might be prohibited from partaking in the upcoming Asian Games, reports emerged on Monday that 'back-channel negotiations' between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) have been initiated.

According to RevSportz, the possibility of the national team still finding its way into the continental competition is in sight. They reported:

"The door is not closed (for the Indian football team to play in the Asian Games). In fact, back-channel negotiations are on."

The AIFF had reportedly shortlisted 40 players for the tournament and submitted the list to the IOA. The competition permits only Under-23 players with 3 allowed in the squad above the specified age.

The Blue Tigers had a cloud of uncertainty looming over them once the Sports Ministry's letter, sent to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and all the National Sports Federations (NSFs), came out in public.

What did it say? The letter stated:

“For team events, only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last one year should be considered for participation in Asian Games."

However, certain teams have been allowed to participate in the competition based on a clause in the letter, which states exceptions can be made. RevSportz reported that the AIFF will make an appeal to permit the Indian football team's participation in the Asian Games.

---

Indian football fans protest in numbers against the decision to prohibit the national team from participating in 2023 Asian Games

Once the contents of the Sports Ministry's letter and the possible fate of the Indian football team were made public, Indian football fans took to social media to express their dismay. Over the past few months, the Indian men's football team has shown meteoric improvements and they argued that the decision to halter the progress of the young guns.

Supporters made #IndianFootballForAsianGames trend on Twitter within a day and they are expected to continue their protests if the decision isn't reverted.