India’s Asian Games 2026 Preparations: Empathy, Mutual Respect To Be Focus Of Contingent’s Orientation

As the Indian contingent gives final touches to its preparations for the Asian Games in Japan, the travelling athletes and support staff will also be sensitised about the importance of empathy and mutual respect in the high-pressure environment during orientation sessions before the mega-event.

The 768-strong contingent, which features 503 athletes and 246 support staff, would be receiving the code of conduct for the Games in a day or two, listing the dos and don'ts during the multi-sport event beginning September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya.

With a Safeguarding Officer travelling with the contingent for the first time, the focus will also be on ensuring that "nobody feels neglected".

"So there are going to be multiple outreach programmes, including online, of course, to just sensitise them, to explain to them that what safeguarding is," the contingent's Safeguarding Officer Neetal Narang told PTI in an exclusive interview here on Friday.

"...to be aware, self-aware, you know, be empathetic, have respect for each other. I mean, these are very basics...these things happen across the globe, that when there is a team, people sometimes go with the majority, with somebody who's strong, and, you know, may just neglect somebody who's probably a weak link.

"So idea is that, you know, when you're going as a team, then you're not just responsible for yourself, but you're also responsible for everybody who's around you," she elaborated.

A Safeguarding Officer is an Olympic Council of Asia mandated requirement for all the travelling contingents and Narang said she would primarily focus on counselling those in distress even though her role would also require gathering evidence in case of repeated violations by any individual.

"There is going to be a pre-briefing of the delegation, making them aware of the safeguarding initiative and why a safeguarding officer is travelling, who to reach out to. There will be a a hotline number, a proper email ID for them to contact," she said.

"And it is going to remain confidential between us. And then the process starts of documenting it, you know, start creating evidences... There can also be a suspension to the accreditation. So it's something as serious as that," she explained.

"It's not just for saying that it's safeguarding, but it really is in letter and spirit," she added.

An International Olympic Committee initiative aimed at providing a safe space to athletes, Safeguarding Officers were mandatory at the Winter Olympics earlier this year where participating contingents were allowed to have as many as five welfare officers with them.

"...there is a code of conduct that obviously is going to be signed by each and every person in the contingent who is travelling to Aichi-Nagoya," she said.

"So idea is safe sports, safe environment, an ecosystem where one feels that, I only have to perform here. There is no other stress that has to come on my mind," she added.