Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Rodali Barua is taking her fight for a spot on the Asian Games team to court. The Assam athlete, who broke India's decade-long medal drought at the 2024 Asian Taekwondo Championships in Da Nang, claims she was unfairly sidelined. She currently ranks 67th globally and trains under the Target Asian Games Group.
The controversy centers on a June 15, 2026, selection camp held in Pune. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports stripped recognition from India Taekwondo and the Taekwondo Federation of India back in February 2026. Because of this, the camp allegedly lacked legal standing.
Barua argues the event violated the National Sports Development Code and Indian Olympic Association rules. She contends that organizers effectively shut out top-ranked talent. The All Assam Taekwondo Association backs her claim, noting many elite athletes never received notice of the camp.
Association leaders Bolin Chetia and Hiranya Saikia believe the process reeks of administrative failure. They stated, "The selection process lacked legal validity and undermined the established mechanism for choosing the national team."
Barua and her supporters now want Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene. They are pushing for the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Authority of India to enforce a fair, merit-based selection system. This legal fight highlights the ongoing struggle for transparency in Indian sports governance.
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