New era for yoga: Historic Asian Games debut looms

In recent years, yoga has transitioned into a competitive format, with global efforts to introduce it as a formal sport. There is growing momentum to include yoga in international sporting events, including the Asian Games.

If approved, yoga could debut as a demonstration sport in the 2026 Games in Nagoya, Japan, marking a significant milestone in its journey from a spiritual practice to a recognised competitive discipline.

OCA planning to reduce number of teams competing in Asian Games; could set qualification norms

With the Asian Games becoming "unmanageable" because of the ever-growing number of athletes, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is planning to introduce a criteria where teams failing to qualify will not be able to compete in the continental showpiece.

As preparations for the OCA General Assembly in New Delhi on Sunday gather full steam, deputy director general of the continental body Vinod Tiwari said that he had discussions with several sports federations, including Asian Football Confederation (AFC), to try and reduce the number of teams playing in the Asian Games.

These discussions are being held because the Asian Games are becoming a burden for the host nation. More than 15,000 athletes competed at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year with team competitions accounting for a major share of athletes.

In comparison, 10,500 athletes competed at the Paris Olympics.

India could also be impacted if the qualification criteria is strictly enforced for disciplines like football among others, where the men's and women's teams are ranked quite low in the continent.

The Indian men's and women's football teams were cleared for the Hangzhou Asian Games after several appeals to the sports ministry by the Indian Olympic Association and the All India Football Federation despite not having a ranking of eight or below at the time of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

"We have spoken to the Asian Football Confederation. We are trying to reduce the number of teams for the Asian Games. So, we will have a qualification before and then the qualified teams will go to the Asian Games. Because, otherwise, it becomes unmanageable," said Tiwari during a media interaction.

"It was China (Hangzhou in 2023) so we could manage 15,000 athletes. But in Japan (the 2026 Asian Games host), it would be impossible to have 15,000 athletes.

"We are now trying to sit down with each federation and trying to reduce the number of teams that will participate in the team sports. We fully understand that the country which is hosting the Asian Games suffers a lot because there is no qualification and too many athletes come and participate and everybody sends their team.

"We are trying to do that (reduce number of teams) from the Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. We are trying to reduce the number of sports... I mean number of events and the team sports we are trying to speak to all the federations and bring it down to a manageable level," Tiwari added.

Asked if there is a special request from some countries, including India, to include a team, the high-ranking OCA official said, it could be entertained.

"If there is a set qualification system then those teams which qualify will only be allowed. That would be the idea behind the whole thing. But, of course, if there is a special request, we will have to consider it... but I cannot promise anything at the moment," he said.

Yoga at the Asian Games

Tiwari added that he was hopeful about yoga being approved as an Asian Games sport during the OCA General Assembly here on Sunday. The OCA General Assembly will see former shooter and veteran sports administrator Randhir Singh being elected unopposed to the post of president of the all-powerful continental sports body.

"There is a procedure. The (OCA) sports committee had a look at it (proposal to include Yoga as Asian Games discipline). They have approved it. Now the executive board of the Olympic Council (of Asia) has approved it. For any sport to be included in the Asian Games, the approval of the General Assembly is a must," he said.

"That will be done on September 8 and hopefully it will be approved. And for the next edition of the Games (in Nagoya, Japan) probably it will be introduced as a demonstration sport. Once that is done, only then after that it will be included in the Asian Games programme," added Tiwari.

"We are discussing with them (Nagoya) because their sports programme has already been finalised. It was done two years back. But we will try to include it as a demonstration sport in the Nagoya Games."