The central government has spent Rs 800.70 crore on preparing Indian athletes for the Asian Games 2026, based on the combined expenditure figures released by the Sports Ministry on Tuesday. The support has covered training, equipment, coaches and experts ahead of the Games beginning on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

The amount brings together spending under the Annual Competition and Training Calendar (ACTC) and additional funding through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The ministry outlined preparations over the past three years, with participation in international competitions accounting for the largest expenditure category identified.

India will send 501 athletes across 36 disciplines, including 310 Asian Games debutants. TOPS Chief Executive Officer N S Johal said performances across sports had given the contingent momentum to match or improve on the previous edition’s medal haul.

How much has the government spent on Asian Games preparations?

The ministry reported expenditure of Rs 702.86 crore under the ACTC. A further Rs 97.84 crore was spent from the TOPS fund, taking the combined amount to Rs 800.70 crore.

The ACTC accounted for about 88 per cent of the combined amount, while TOPS contributed around 12 per cent. These figures concern India’s athlete preparations, rather than the cost of staging the Games in Japan.

Where has the preparation money gone?

International competition exposure received Rs 251.4 crore, the largest amount among the spending categories cited by the ministry. Domestic training followed at Rs 118.3 crore.

Together, the two categories accounted for Rs 369.7 crore. Spending on international competitions was more than twice the amount devoted to domestic training, indicating the importance given to competitive exposure overseas in the preparation programme.

Equipment support and the hiring of coaches and experts were also covered by the ministry’s account of preparations. Separate amounts for these components were not specified in the figures cited, nor was a sport-wise or year-wise spending breakdown provided.

How large is India’s Asian Games contingent?

The 501-member athlete contingent comprises 267 men and 234 women. They will be accompanied by 265 support staff, taking the combined strength to 766.

The athlete count is two fewer than the 503 originally sanctioned. Two names were dropped because of doping violations.

Debutants make up about 62 per cent of the athlete contingent. Johal said the presence of so many newcomers was encouraging because developing athletes takes time, and reaching the top level early was a positive sign for their future.

Which young athletes are in focus?

Among the young athletes attracting attention is 15-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. However, he is not funded by the Sports Ministry, an important distinction when considering the government’s preparation expenditure alongside the full contingent.

Other names highlighted include table tennis player Syndrela Das, badminton player Ayush Shetty and 18-year-old squash player Anahat Singh, who recently won the junior world title. Judoka Asmita Dey, the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games gold in the sport, is also among those in focus.

The contingent includes 65 athletes who have come through Khelo India, which Johal described as the country’s baseline sports system. They account for about 13 per cent of the 501 athletes, showing the programme’s representation in the team heading to Japan.

What support will athletes have at the Games?

TOPS has also worked on the composition of the support teams, including the presence of physiotherapists, mental health experts and doctors. According to Johal, sports science personnel account for one-third of the authorised support staff.

Women are represented in the support staff of every team, he said. Finalising the contingent list took time because some federations had initially failed to name enough women in support roles.

Of the 265 support staff members, 56 are women. 

How were preparations coordinated amid federation issues?

The Target Asian Games Group held nine coordination meetings from January this year, Johal said. The effort was to give athletes the best possible preparation environment despite administrative difficulties involving various federations.

Asked to explain those difficulties, he declined to discuss specific issues. The concerns arose against a background of administrative disputes and selection controversies involving several national federations.

Johal maintained that the focus on athletes had continued despite these problems. His account placed coordination with federations and the composition of support teams alongside funding as parts of the preparation effort.

What does India hope to achieve in Japan?

Johal said the contingent had the momentum to match or better India’s best medal performance at the previous Hangzhou Games. The ministry’s account put that benchmark at 106 medals, comprising 28 gold, 38 silver and 40 bronze.

“In the end the performance has to come from athletes. We have tried our best. As I said, the momentum is good and the younger lot is carrying this momentum,” Johal said.

Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has added an academic achievement to his football career after graduating from the PFA Business School with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit.

The 28-year-old Coventry City forward announced the achievement on Instagram, describing it as “another proud moment” away from the football pitch.

Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi has added an academic achievement to his football career after graduating from the PFA Business School with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit.

The 28-year-old Coventry City forward shared the news on Instagram, describing the qualification as “another proud moment” away from the football pitch.

“Another proud moment for me off the pitch.

“Graduating from the PFA Business School with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit,” Awoniyi wrote.

The former Nottingham Forest striker said he believes footballers should continue learning and developing themselves beyond their playing careers.

“I have always believed that being a footballer shouldn’t stop you from being a student of the game and education has become an important part of that journey for me,” he added.

Awoniyi thanked the PFA Business School, its lecturers and fellow students for their support throughout the programme.

“Thank you to everyone at the PFA Business School, the lecturers and my colleagues I had the opportunity to learn alongside.

“And a special thank you to my family and friends for their encouragement and support throughout,” he said.

The Nigerian forward ended his message by reaffirming his commitment to both football and continued education.

“Still playing. Still learning. The journey continues.”

The PFA Business School offers education and development programmes for football professionals, including courses in leadership, management and the business side of the sport.

Awoniyi’s latest qualification adds another dimension to his career as he continues to combine professional football with academic development in football sport directorship.

Controversial streamer XenaTheWitch has sparked another controversy after an altercation with looksmaxing streamer Drago at the Ice Poseidon x Nick Lee event. A clip from the event has been circulating on X, appearing to show Xena slapping Drago during a heated exchange between the two streamers.

The incident also follows another controversy at an earlier Ice Poseidon event, where she was banned from Kick after a paintball incident. With the latest altercation once again taking place at an Ice Poseidon event, it has drawn further attention to her history with the event.

According to the footage, Xena appeared agitated while complaining about people filming her. The situation escalated after Drago remarked “chim*ing out,” prompting Xena to slap him. She also appeared to continue arguing with him after the incident, further escalating the confrontation.

Drago explains why he did not hit XenaTheWitch back after she slapped him

Another clip from the event has also been circulating on X, in which Drago addressed the altercation and explained why he chose not to retaliate after being slapped. He said that he held back because of how he was raised and because he did not feel that Xena posed a physical threat to him. He said:

“That’s just reactionary, you know? It’s like the shock factor leaves really quickly. Oh my God, you slapped me on the first date. What are you gonna do on the second date? Punch me? What are you gonna do on the third date? Put me in a f*****g chok*hold? It’s like, is that content? Remember, these hands are *******. Mine are not.”

Drago further explained that he did not feel threatened during the confrontation and believed that retaliating could have seriously hurt Xena. He said that he was holding her back when she became pushy and chose not to hit her because he did not want to cause her to fall or get seriously injured.

“Because that’s the thing, like, she actually takes— I mean, it’s like I could. When she was being pushy with me, and I was holding her back, I could tell how light she is and how easy it would be. And it’s like, when you know that, you can easily beat the s**t out of a person at any moment. It doesn’t feel like a threat.”

In other news, XenaTheWitch made headlines when she was arrested earlier this year.