New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): BJP MP Anurag Thakur congratulated Indian athletes for his or her efficiency on the 2026 Asian Games and referred to as for better funding in sports activities by state governments and the elimination of politics inside sports activities associations.
India signed off from the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with a haul of 85 medals, together with 21 golds, 27 silvers and 37 bronze medals, nevertheless it was the nation’s clear sweep of gold medals in cricket, kabaddi and hockey that supplied the defining moments of a marketing campaign which additionally produced record-breaking performances, first-time podium finishes and historic particular person triumphs.
Speaking to reporters, Anurag Thakur congratulated Indian athletes on their Asian Games efficiency, notably in cricket, hockey and golf. He referred to as for greater sports activities budgets, extra coaches and better funding by states, whereas stressing the necessity to remove politics inside sports activities associations to additional enhance India’s sporting efficiency.
‘I congratulate the Indian athletes on their magnificent performance-especially in cricket and hockey, and the truth that a feminine golfer received a gold medal for the primary time. The Commonwealth Games in India shall be hosted in 2030. Federations, associations, and state governments nonetheless have so much to do. They want to extend budgets and the variety of coaches. The central authorities has considerably elevated the budget-allocating many instances greater than the earlier authorities. Under the ‘Khelo India’ initiative, roughly Rs 36,000 crore has been allotted for the subsequent 5 years. However, sports activities is a state topic. Unless states make investments extra funds and politics inside sports activities associations is eradicated, we have to do much more to realize even higher performances,’ he mentioned.
Thakur additionally spoke about India-Pakistan cricket contests, saying India has persistently managed to prevail over its arch-rivals in such encounters. Notably, India’s males’s cricket staff defeated Pakistan by 19 runs within the Asian Games 2026 cricket match’s remaining to win the gold medal.
‘When an India-Pakistan match takes place, everybody is aware of that-whether on the cricket subject or elsewhere-we guarantee they chew the mud,’ he mentioned.
India completed fourth within the total medal standings with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals. China dominated the Games with 341 medals, together with 169 gold, whereas hosts Japan completed second with 269 medals, together with 83 gold. South Korea had been third with 150 medals, together with 39 gold. India’s 85-medal haul was under the report 106 medals, together with 28 gold, received on the Hangzhou Games in 2023, however the marketing campaign featured a number of landmark achievements throughout disciplines.
For India, the largest success got here within the three staff sports activities the place India entered each males’s and ladies’s competitions — cricket, kabaddi and hockey — and returned with gold medals in all six occasions. (ANI)