Asian Games: Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to Miss Out on China Event

The Indian veteran trio of Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan, and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who were originally part of the team that was supposed to travel to China, might not be making an appearance in Hangzhou after the players’ Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, refused to release the players for international duty.

The football event at the Asian Games is a U23 affair, with three players over the age category permitted to join the squad.

The AIFF held a meeting with ISL clubs on Monday to discuss the release of players for national duty following the refusal of multiple ISL clubs to make their players available for the Blue Tigers.

It is being reported that the ISL clubs withheld the release of players on the grounds that the Asiad is not part of the FIFA international window.

There is an overlap in the timetables of the upcoming season of the ISL, which is slated to begin on the 21st of September, while the football event at the Asian Games will begin on the 19th of the month.

According to a report, AIFF will also hold a meeting with the ISL clubs with a request to release two players each from their teams. However, that might come with its own set of challenges as the IOA will need to make a new application to the Olympic Council of Asia, seeking approval for the updated squad.

The Indian U23 India football team, coached by Clifford Miranda, is currently playing in the Asian Cup U23 qualifiers in China.

The year 2023 has been a fruitful one for the Blue Tigers as they managed to claim three titles since the beginning of the season. The Igor Stimac-coached team triumphed at the SAFF Championships, Intercontinental Championship and the Tri-Nation Series.

India, however, missed out on the chance to lift their fourth title of the year as they tasted defeat at the recently concluded King’s Cup in Thailand.

The Blue Tigers were rewarded for their efforts and consistency as the nation broke through the 100-mark in the FIFA World Rankings, with the team from the Indian subcontinent placed at the 99th position.