Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur in Coimbatore, on September 23, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
China denying visas to three Indian athletes from Arunachal Pradesh is “discriminatory” and against the Olympic Charter which is not acceptable to India, Union Minister Anurag Thakur has said.
The northeastern State is an integral part of India and would continue to remain so, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs said in Coimbatore, adding that he had cancelled his visit to China while standing with the players.
Female players Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu have been denied accreditation, which also works as a visa for the Asian Games that officially opened on September 23 in Hangzhou.
“As you could see I am not in China, I am in Coimbatore, standing with my players. And this discriminatory approach of a country which is against the Olympic Charter, is not acceptable at all,” he told reporters.
Beijing’s move “is not acceptable to India and I have cancelled my trip to China on these grounds as they have denied the opportunity to the players from Arunachal Pradesh to be a part of the Asian Games,” Mr. Thakur added.