India's senior women’s handball team set for Asian Games 2026; Junior team to self-fund World U-20 Championships travel

NEW DELHI: Despite prolonged uncertainty caused by the ongoing handball federation dispute, India’s senior women’s handball team will participate in the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, while the junior women’s side is set to travel for the World U-20 Championships in China next month by paying from their own pockets.TOI has learnt that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has decided to clear the senior women’s team for the Asian Games after determining that the side fulfills the sports ministry’s eligibility criteria for participation. While individual athletes must be ranked among Asia’s top six, teams are required to be among the continent’s top eight in their respective sports. India’s women’s handball team is currently ranked fifth in Asia.

The men’s team, ranked 10th in Asia, will not be sent.

During the IOA executive committee (EC) meeting on Wednesday, it was decided that the IOA would write to the International Handball Federation (IHF) seeking guidance on which faction it should deal with for the Asian Games selection process.The IOA will also suggest the possibility of forming an ad-hoc committee to conduct trials and select the team if required.“On the IOA website, we have given recognition to HFI. It was told to the IOA that both HAI and HFI would merge into one body, but that has not happened. Based on what the world body tells the IOA, we will act accordingly,” a source said.