Sports Ministry mulls return of OCI card holder athletes for football and tennis

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports banned OCI cardholders from representing the country in 2008.

In what could be a crucial boost for Indian sports, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is actively reconsidering its 2008 policy that bars Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) from representing the nation in international competitions. The potential change could breathe new life into sports like football and tennis, where India has struggled to keep pace with global standards.

An official from the ministry told Hindustan Times, “If allowing OCI participation boosts the national team, especially in disciplines like football, tennis, or any other discipline, then why not? It can be only for sports where Indians are not doing well.”

Many footballing nations have successfully tapped into their diaspora. Indonesia, for example, surged to 123rd in FIFA rankings from 134th just months earlier, thanks to several Dutch-born players. The Philippines’ 2023 Women’s World Cup squad included 18 US-born players, while Malaysia’s men’s team now features talent from Brazil, Scotland, Finland, and Argentina.

India’s own football community has long pushed for such a policy shift. Former national coaches Stephen Constantine and Igor Stimac both advocated for the inclusion of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and OCI players. In 2023, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) even formed a task force to explore the idea, though its findings haven’t been made public yet.

AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey earlier told PTI, “We are looking to approach 24 PIO players who are playing across the world. But you know, there is the issue of dual citizenship (not being permitted to play for India). So, we have to see how this can be done within the framework of the Central Government’s rules.”

He added, “We are having internal discussions on the matter and will come out with more details once more clarity is established.”

This is not the first time the rule has come under scrutiny. In 2008, the sports ministry issued a directive requiring all national athletes to hold a valid Indian passport. One major casualty of this was footballer Izumi Arata, who had to wait until 2013 to gain Indian citizenship before becoming eligible to represent India.

UK-based squash player Karm Kumar challenged the regulation in court, but the Delhi High Court upheld the government’s position in 2010.

Tennis Facing a Talent Crisis

Tennis in India has also seen a decline due to a lack of emerging talent and minimal developmental effort from the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

Past representation by foreign-born players like Prakash Amritraj and Shikha Uberoi highlighted what could be possible if policies were more inclusive. Yet, with dual citizenship not allowed under Indian law, a structured pathway is urgently needed to bring top-tier talent back into the fold.

“It is just a preliminary discussion at this point; it would take a lot of time for anything to move on this front,” the source told PTI. “There is no harm in reconsidering because we would like the best of our talent to be able to represent us. But again, it’s a very long road,” they added.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.