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The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports confirmed the participation of the Indian men's and women's football teams in the 2023 Asian Games on Wednesday, July 26.
Soon after the decision, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey took to social media to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of Sports Anurag Thakur.
"Happy to inform that Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs,& IOA have confirmed Indian football’s participation at Asian Games. I thank Shri Narendra Modi sir, Shri Anurag Thakur ji, and GOI (Government of India) for their support. Equally important to our fans for your resolute for Indian Football," the AIFF President averred.
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The announcement brings to an end a cloud of uncertainty that had gulped Indian football stakeholders and supporters for days. The Ministry of Sport's letter, dated July 10, sent to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and all the National Sports Federations (NSFs), hinted that Indian football teams won't be able to participate in the Asiad.
The ministry decided that teams that achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last year would only be allowed to feature in the Asian Games. As the men's and women's senior teams are ranked 18th and 11th in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the latest FIFA rankings, respectively, they were nowhere close to the cut-off set by the ministry.
But Anurag Thakur today announced that the Government of India will relax the rules to facilitate the participation of both teams, keeping in mind their latest performances.
"We will continue to work hard and deliver" - Shaji Prabhakaran after Indian football teams were allowed to participate in the Asian Games
Meanwhile, Shaji Prabhakaran, the AIFF general secretary, expressed his gratitude to Anurag Thakur, the Sports Ministry, and the Sports Authority of India.
"Many thanks Anurag Thakur ji for granting our teams an exemption and approving our teams participation in Asian Games. Thanks Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India. We will continue to work hard and deliver," Prabhakaran wrote on Twitter.
Kalyan Chaubey and Shaji Prabhakaran were heavily involved in the AIFF's attempt of reverting the ministry's decision to snub the Indian football teams. Now all the stakeholders will be hoping in unison that the Blue Tigers and Tigresses can make the most of the opportunity.
