Rudali Barua Left Out of Indian Team for Asian Games, All Assam Taekwondo Association Seeks CM Himanta’s Intervention
By our Guwahati Correspondent
GUWAHATI / NEW DELHI: The selection camp for the Asian Games held in Pune on June 15, 2026 has come under sharp criticism across the country after it was conducted by ‘India Taekwondo’ despite both ‘India Taekwondo’ and the ‘Taekwondo Federation of India’ having their recognition withdrawn by the Ministry of Sports on February 27, 2026 following a Delhi High Court order.
The allegedly illegal camp has resulted in several of the country’s top taekwondo players being left out of the team, including Rudali Barua from Assam, who is ranked 67th in the world in the +73kg heavyweight category. As an athlete under the Ministry of Sports’ Target Asian Games Group (TAGG), Rudali has been training regularly for the upcoming Asian Games and other international events.
Walim Chetia, President, and Hiranya Saikia, Secretary General of the All Assam Taekwondo Association, have expressed strong displeasure over the manner in which the Indian team was formed. They said that after derecognition, ‘India Taekwondo’ had no authority to conduct any selection process, and that keeping several leading athletes in the dark raises serious legal questions about the legitimacy of those who participated in the camp.
Rudali Barua has herself approached the court challenging the validity of the camp, stating that it violates the Central Government’s National Sports Code and the rules of the Indian Olympic Association.
The Association said that at a time when the country’s top players are preparing hard for the Asian Games, an unrecognized body holding an extra-judicial selection camp not only damages the career of deserving athletes but also throws the entire sports system into disarray.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, the All Assam Taekwondo Association, along with Rudali Barua, has urged Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene immediately. They have also appealed to the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Authority of India to ensure a fair and transparent process for the formation of the Indian team and to strictly stop such illegal camps.
Members of the sports community in the region say that if the issue is not resolved urgently, it could adversely affect India’s representation and performance at the Asian Games.
