All NSFs must publish LA 2028 Olympic selection criteria by July 15, 2026
Selection policies will be made public to ensure greater transparency
The move aims to reduce disputes and support India's long-term sporting ambitions
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has instructed all recognised National Sports Federations (NSFs) overseeing Olympic disciplines to publish their qualification and selection criteria for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games by July 15, 2026, in a move aimed at making the athlete selection process more transparent and accountable.
The directive comes as India intensifies its efforts to strengthen its sporting ecosystem and establish itself as a global sporting force in the lead-up to its bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
According to the ministry, every recognised NSF must place its Olympic qualification pathway, selection criteria and the complete selection procedure for the 2028 Games on its official website.
The same policy must also be shared with affiliated State and Union Territory associations, as well as the Sports Authority of India (SAI), to ensure athletes and stakeholders have timely access to the information.
"The selection policy and criteria for mega sporting events such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games, Para Asian Games and Commonwealth Games should be well publicised and uploaded on the official website of the concerned NSF at least two years before the commencement of the respective Games," the ministry said in a release.
The ministry noted that qualification pathways for the Los Angeles Olympics have already been released by the respective International Federations, making it possible for NSFs to finalise and announce their own selection frameworks without delay.
"The ministry has informed that the qualification pathways for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games have been released by the respective International Federations. Accordingly, all recognised NSFs have been requested to publish the Olympic qualification and selection pathway, including the criteria and process to be adopted for the selection of athletes for the Games, on their official websites immediately and no later than 15 July 2026," said the release.
"The NSFs have also been asked to disseminate the selection pathway among all affiliated State and Union Territory Associations."
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 14 to July 30, 2028.
The ministry said the initiative is designed to eliminate uncertainty surrounding athlete selection by ensuring that qualification requirements and selection procedures are available in the public domain well before the Games. Officials believe the move will help athletes plan their competitive schedules more effectively while reducing ambiguity during the qualification cycle.
Selection policies adopted by several NSFs have often been criticised in the past, with athletes questioning the fairness and consistency of the process. In multiple cases, disputes over selection have escalated into legal battles, creating controversy ahead of major international events.
By mandating early publication of selection criteria, the ministry hopes to minimise such disputes and bring greater consistency to the selection process across Olympic disciplines.
The directive also aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Viksit Bharat' vision, under which India aims to become one of the world's top 10 sporting nations by 2036, the year it hopes to host the Olympic Games, and among the top five sporting powers by 2047, when the country marks 100 years of Independence.
