AFI announces 77-member Indian athletics squad for Asian Games in Japan

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist javelin thrower Yashvir Singh has replaced injured Neeraj Chopra in India's athletics squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped after receiving a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) over an alleged doping offence.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Thursday announced a 77-member Indian track and field team for the September 19-October 4 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The announcement was made during a press conference in Ludhiana, which is hosting the National Youth Championships. Men's 110m hurdler Tejas Shirse has also been left out of the squad after suffering an injury during the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

AFI president Bahadur Singh Sagoo said Yashvir was brought in because Neeraj is unavailable due to injury. "We have brought in Yashvir who is a CWG medal winner in place of Neeraj Chopra who is currently injured. It was an injury replacement and so there was no problem (in Yashvir coming in)," Sagoo said. He also confirmed that Abhishek Pal has been removed from the squad. "Long distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped because of the issues he is facing. So this is the final team for the Asian Games," he added.

Last month, Abhishek received a notice from NADA after his sample was found to contain a female fertility drug. Officials said the substance was present below the threshold level. Former AFI secretary and planning commission chief Lalit Bhanot said the federation did not want to take any risk while the investigation is ongoing. "It's not a case of (Abhishek) returning dope positive. The presence of the substance is below threshold level. NADA is currently undergoing investigation. But we did not want to take any risk. We don't want anybody to point a finger on us. So, we have dropped Abhishek from the team," Bhanot said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Shirse and Abhishek were part of the 73-member squad announced by the sports ministry earlier this month. On Wednesday, the ministry added six more athletes to the athletics contingent. The six athletes added are Harita Bhadra (200m), Kiran Pahal (400m), Sindhushree G (pole vault), I Asha Ilango (triple jump), Sanya Yadav (discus throw) and Praveen Kumar (hammer throw). With two athletes dropped and six added, India's final athletics squad now has 77 members.

The AFI has also requested permission for Avinash Sable to compete in the men's 5,000m in addition to his confirmed 3,000m steeplechase event. Sable, who won gold in the steeplechase and silver in the 5,000m at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, has raced only once this season after recovering from ACL surgery.

"Sable's participation in 3000m steeplechase is confirmed, there is no problem in that. But we have also made a request to the Asian Games organisers for him to run in 5000m also. "But, this is subject to him breaching the AFI qualification mark (in 5000m) during the final event of the Indian Athletics Series on September 10 in New Delhi," Bhanot said. The Indian Athletics Series Finals in New Delhi on September 10 will be a prize-money event, with most Asian Games-bound athletes expected to compete. The final squad also includes Gulveer Singh and Parul Chaudhary in three events each. Gulveer will compete in the 10,000m, 5,000m and 1,500m, while Parul will run the 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m and 1,500m.