Asian Games Neeraj Chopra Isn T Going But Coach Physio Are

New Delhi: The sports ministry on Wednesday cleared the names of 246 coaches and support staff members to accompany Indian athletes at the upcoming Asian Games that begin in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya on September 19. The number of athletes has also been increased from 492 (265 men and 227 women) to 503 (269 male & 234 female) following the addition of the four-member surfing team, six track and field athletes and one Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athlete. The total strength of the Indian contingent now stands at 768.

Praveen Kumar (Hammer throw), Harita Bhadra (200m), Kiran Pahal (400m), Asha Ilango (triple jump), Sindhushree Ganesha (pole vault), Sanya Yadav (discus throw) are the additions to the athletics team while Varun Sanyal has beem added to the MMA team in the Traditional 77kg event. The surfing team comprises Kishore Kumar Anbarashu, Sivaraj Babu, Kamali Prakash, and Sugar Shanti Gayen in men’s and women’s shortboard.

The athletics squad now stands at 79 athletes and 31 officials (coaches, physios, masseuse, doctor, team manager, tech analyst). The 30-member cricket (15 men, 15 women) team will travel with a 20-member support staff while the 40-member hockey team (20 men and 20 women) has been sanctioned a 14-member support staff. Three judokas will have the services of two support staff while the MMA athletes will travel without a coach/physio.

VVS Laxman, Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Amol Muzumdar, Aavishkar Salvi, and Munish Bali, among others are part of the elaborate cricket support staff. Masseuse Sakshi Aggarwal has been included under the Judo discipline but will also assist the wushu athletes, the ministry said.

Interestingly, Neeraj Chopra’s coach Jai Choudhary and physio Ishaan Marwaha have been named in the list although the ace javelin thrower has ruled himself out of the Asian Games due to a ligament tear. Glasgow Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh, who was expected to replace Chopra, hasn't been named yet.

A total of 19 IOA officials will travel with the Indian contingent, headed by chef de mission weightlifting federation chief Sahdev Yadav.

Yadav will be joined by four deputy chefs de mission, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala as chief medical officer, one press attache, one social media attache, among others. Four IOA officials, part of the delegation, will travel at IOA’s cost.

Additionally, the ministry has asked the National Sports Federations (NSFs) to conduct background verification of officials and support staff to ensure there are no disappearances.

Shantanu Srivastava is an experienced sports journalist who has worked across print and digital media. He covers cricket and Olympic sports.