Sports Ministry approves INR 1.70 Crore support for combat athletes ahead of Asian Games 2026
(Courtesy : Olympics)
Multiple athlete proposals accepted in 168th Mission Olympic Cell for overall Rs 1.70 Crore for combat athletes.
In a significant push to strengthen India’s combat sports pipeline, the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has given a go-ahead to customised international exposure and coaching support for athletes in taekwondo and karate, ahead of Asian Games 2026.
In taekwondo, Rodali Barua has been backed for participation in five international competitions – Bulgaria Open 2026, Slovenia Open 2026, Dutch Open 2026, Oceania Championships 2026 – which are G2 level competitions as recognised by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
She is also set for participation in the 4th Mount Everest International Open Taekwondo Championship, Nepal 2026, which is a G1 level tournament.
The Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) has recommended the proposals for a financial amount of Rs 21.20 Lakh and the tourneys are scheduled over the months of February and March for Barua, who has been a bronze medalist at the President’s Cup, Oceania Region, Gold Coast, in 2025.
Meanwhile, another taekwondo athlete Rupa Bayor has been supported under the TAGG Scheme for a Physiotherapy, Masseur, and Strength & Conditioning (S&C) Programme for a period of nine months until September 2026.
She is currently ranked 6th in the World and 1st in Asia. The recommendations have been accepted ensuring consistent tactical and technical support during the competition cycle.
In Karate, the MOC approval for support was put forward to Bhuvneshwari Jadhav over participating in three international competitions along with a structured training programme.
The competitions are scheduled to be held in Rome (11th–16th March 2026), China (8th–13th April 2026), and Spain (22nd–27th April 2026).
She will also participate in a training program under foreign coach Sulaymon Sharifovich, scheduled to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in March. The total financial assistance put forward is Rs. 20.12 Lakh, which also includes support for her coach Keerthan Kondru, and a Sparring Partner.
Also Read: Winter Olympics 2026: Full schedule, fixtures, results, Indian contingent, live streaming details
Financial Assistance for another Karate athlete, Alisha and her coach Vikas, has also been sanctioned under TAGG for 2 competitions — in Rome (11th–16th March 2026) and China (8th–13th April 2026).
The total monetary value recommended is Rs. 5.94 Lakh. Both Bhuvneshwari and Alisha had won bronze medals at the 2025 Asian Championship held in Uzbekistan.
The recommendations for the combat sports of Taekwondo and Karate were part of the deliberations during the 168th Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting, where athlete-specific proposals were assessed based on recent performances, future potential and international competitiveness. Multiple athlete proposals were accepted for an overall Rs 1.70 crore.
Other athlete proposals accepted included financial assistance for Squash star Anahat Singh’s strength and conditioning coach, an extension of off-season training camp for Neeraj Chopra till April 2026 in Pretoria as well as foreign exposure camps for para-athletes Varun Bhati and Sandeep Chaudhary.
What was approved in the 168th Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting?
The MOC approved multiple athlete-specific proposals worth Rs 1.70 crore, focusing on international exposure, coaching support and training programmes.
Which taekwondo athletes received support?
Rodali Barua received funding for participation in five international tournaments, while Rupa Bayor was sanctioned support for physiotherapy, masseur and strength & conditioning services.
What support was granted to karate athletes?
Bhuvneshwari Jadhav received funding for three international competitions and a foreign training programme in Uzbekistan, while Alisha was supported for participation in two international events.
How much financial assistance was recommended for Rodali Barua?
A total of Rs 21.20 lakh was recommended for her participation in G1 and G2 level competitions.
What is Rupa Bayor’s current world ranking?
Rupa Bayor is currently ranked 6th in the world and 1st in Asia.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
Alex graduated in mass communication in 2016 and has been covering global sports for Khel Now since then. He is covering sports tech, igaming, sports betting and casino domain from 2017.