Top 10 Indian athletes who will miss Hangzhou Asian Games 2023

Close to 640 athletes will be representing India at the continental showpiece.

The Asian Games, a prestigious sporting event on the Asian continent, held every four years, brings together athletes from diverse nations to compete at the highest level. This multi-sport extravaganza showcases exceptional talent and fosters unity through sportsmanship. With a rich history and a wide range of sporting disciplines, the Asian Games serve as a platform for athletes to shine and inspire millions across Asia and beyond.

The Asian Games 2023 will start from 23rd September 2023 and will conclude on 8th October 2023. All the events will be conducted at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Expo Centre in Hangzhou, China.

India boasts a rich history at the quadrennial event, with recent decades witnessing a substantial surge in Indian participation. The Asian Games 2023 will feature a formidable Indian contingent of 634+ athletes spanning 38 diverse sports, with the largest representation in athletics, totaling 65+ participants. In comparison, at the previous edition in Jakarta 2018, India fielded a team of 570 athletes competing across 36 different sports.

India won a record 70 medals (16 gold, 23 silver, 31 bronze) at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games to finish eighth on the table. With 254 medals, athletics has been the biggest contributor to India’s overall tally at the Games, followed by wrestling (59), shooting (58) and boxing (57) in the long history.

Due to various circumstances, a notable roster of Indian athletes will not be participating at the upcoming Asian Games 2023. The list below features the top athletes who missed out on the glorious continental event.

Amit Panghal

Amit Panghal, the only Indian boxer to win a gold medal at the Asian Games 2018 will not be defending his title at the 2023 Games. Despite his remarkable track record, including a historic silver medal at the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships, Panghal's absence from this prestigious event is a disappointment for fans and followers of Indian boxing.

Deepka Bhoria's selection in the 51kg Light Flyweight category resulted from a revamped national camp evaluation, replacing trials. Boxers were assessed on performance, continuous improvement and technique. The selection committee comprised the BFI secretary-general, high-performance director and chief coach.

The athlete moved Punjab and Haryana High courts court as as he felt the selection trails were biased and filed a petition for fair trails, but was ultimately dismissed.

Hima Das

India’s sprint ace Hima Das is set to miss the upcoming Asian Games 2023 due to a hamstring injury she picked up in the month of April. The "Dhing" Express had won the silver medal in the women’s 400m race at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. She also helped India win the women’s 4x400m relay gold and mixed 4x400m relay silver in Indonesia.

The Indian sprinter shot to prominence in 2018, when she clinched the gold medal in the 400 meters event at the IAAF World U-20 Championships, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this feat.

Rani Rampal

Former Indian women's hockey team leader, Rani Rampal, is a notable absentee for the Asian Games 2023. Since her debut as a 14-year-old in 2009, Rani Rampal has contributed 120 goals for India. Regrettably, her absence from competitions in 2022, due to injury, prevented her from participating in the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands, as well as the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The former captain last played for India against South Africa in January earlier this year.

Dipa Karmakar

Dipa Karmakar, a pioneering figure in Indian Gymnastics who captured national attention with her historic fourth-place finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics, faces setbacks in her comeback journey. The Sports Ministry has declined to approve the Gymnastics Federation of India's selection recommendations for the Asian Games, casting a shadow over her return to the sport on the international stage.

Despite topping in qualification and receiving approval from the Gymnastics Federation of India, Dipa Karmakar's entry to the Asian Games was rejected by the Sports Ministry. This decision was based on a new rule introduced in July 2023, mandating athletes to outperform the 8th-placed athlete from the 2018 Asian Games in measurable sports over the last 12 months.

Dipa, due to her absence from competition for over six years, lacked recent scores, disqualifying her. The Gymnastics Federation also protested the rejection of seven other athletes due to inconsistent application of criteria.

Fouaad Mirza

Fouud Mirza won a silver medal in the individual event, apart from a team silver, at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. The Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) clarified that rider Fouaad Mirza couldn't be included in the Asian Games probables list as he didn't meet the Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER). While Mirza sought direct entry, EFI emphasized the need for fairness and adherence to rules.

They argued that selection shouldn't rely solely on past performances and including Mirza without clearing trials would be unfair to hardworking riders. "If no rider achieves MER, we will not send anyone. You have to clear final trails. At least we are acting fair, it's up to the riders now." said EFI.

Saina Nehwal

Saina Nehwal, an iconic figure in the world of badminton, is set to miss out Asian Games 2023. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medalist had pulled out her name from the list of selection trails chosen by BAI for the Asian Games earlier this May.

The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games bronze medalist, has not been in great form of late. In what has been a stop-start season for her this year, the former World No. 1 has failed to progress beyond the second round in any of the four BWF World Tour 2023 tournaments she has competed in.

Sourabh Choudhury

Saurabh Chaudhary became the youngest Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Asian Games 2018. As the shooting teams for ISSF World Championships in Baku and Asian Games were announced, he failed to find his name in the list yet again.

Following the Tokyo Olympics disappointment, Saurabh Chaudhary's international appearances have been limited to just two significant events: the ISSF World Cup in Cairo and Rio and ISSF Junior Cup, Suhl. Notably, he clinched an individual gold medal in Cairo. However, he faced disappointment when he didn't qualify for the World Cup held in Bhopal earlier this year.

Saurabh's potential fairytale comeback to the team took a surprising turn after his victory in the final round of the national selection trials. Despite this triumph, he found himself in the eighth position in the overall standings across all six trials, preventing his inclusion in the squad. This outcome prolongs the anticipation among shooting enthusiasts for the return of the prodigious talent who once seemed destined for global success.

Dutee Chand

The national record holder in 100m sprint, Dutee Chand, has been handed a four-year ban for violation of the doping rules set by the Anti Doping Disciplinary Panel. Dutee Chand tested for selective androgen receptor modulators in December last year. Her ban period has been effective from January 3, 2023.

“The athlete has violated article 2.1 and 2.2 of the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). She is here by sanctioned with an ineligibility period of four years as per article 10.2.1.1 of the NADA ADR 2021 beginning from the date of provisional suspension i.e. January 3, 2023,” the order added.

Vinesh Phogat

Vinesh Phogat, the reigning Asian Games champion in the women’s 50kg category, hurt her left knee earlier in the month of August. Prior to her injury, she was exempted from the Asian Games trials and was handed direct entry to the continental event.

“A couple of days ago, on 13th August 2023, I injured my left knee in training. After doing the scans and examinations, the doctor said that unfortunately, surgery is the only option for me to recover. I will be undergoing surgery on 17th August in Mumbai. It was my dream to retain my Asian Games gold medal for India which I won in 2018 at Jakarta. But unfortunately, this injury has ruled out my participation now,” said Vinesh in a social media post.

Antim Panghal, the reigning U-20 champion is set to compete in the 53kg category, who actually won the trails conducted by the WFI (Wrestling Federation of India).

Nitu Ghanghas

Nitu Ghanghas , 22, reigning world and Commonwealth Games champion in the women’s 48kg category, has moved up to the 54kg weight category. As her pet 48kg category isn’t a part of the Asian Games 2023 programme, Nitu Ghanghas was required to change categories to play in Hangzhou. A move up to the 51kg would have been the most practical one, but two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen has already staked her claim in 51kg

The youngster was one of the three boxers who earned her spot in the camp for the women’s 54kg category but was later piped by Preeti Pawar who is set to represent India in the 54kg category. The Asian Games 2023 will also be the first Paris 2024 Olympics qualifying event for Indian boxers.