New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) Union Parliamentary and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is confident that Indian fencers will not only win medals at the upcoming Asian Games but also qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Rijiju, a former Union Sports Minister, also said the sport could capture the imagination of Indian youth as it is a “very interesting” game, and stressed the need to focus more on popularising fencing in the country.
“When I was sports minister, I gave it (fencing) priority and the sport has seen quite a bit of progress. I am hopeful that at the upcoming Asian Games (Aichi Nagoya, September 19-October 4), India will win medals in fencing,” said Rijiju during the closing ceremony of the Asian Fencing Championships here on Wednesday.
“Today, we have hosted Asian Championships. India can also host the world championship… I feel for 2028 Los Angeles (Olympics), 2-4 players will qualify from India in fencing given the way they are practising and performing.” He said there is significant scope to popularise the sport among youth.
“Hosting the Championships in India is a very big achievement. I came to know that several Indian players lost by a margin of just one or two points…they played very well.
“In future, more focus should be given to fencing because it is a very interesting sport. There are 12 gold medals at stake in fencing at the Olympics, and its events in foil, epee and sabre are very interesting…they will catch the imagination of youth and the sport will become more popular,” he added.
On the issue of ace Indian table tennis player Manika Batra not being included in the Asian Games contingent, Rijiju said the government does not interfere in the internal affairs of sports federations.
Manika was left out of the Asian Games for failing to meet the selection criteria of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), which required participation in national events.
The Olympian has sought Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s intervention in the matter, asserting that she “deserves transparency, consistency, and accountability in the selection process.” “We can speak about players and promotion of sport. In sports, we do not interfere in internal administration,” said Rijiju. PTI Cor AM AM TAP
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-178253605846867063.webp)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-178253602426389329.webp)
