Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, on Monday affirmed his government’s commitment to prepare Wushu players for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, aiming to outshine China in their own sport.
Responding to inquiries about China denying entry to Arunachalee players due to a purported technical glitch in their visas during the Hangzhou Asian Games earlier this year, Khandu characterized the incident as “unfortunate.”
In response to the challenges faced by the athletes due to China’s decision, the chief minister announced that his government had allocated Rs 20 lakh to uplift the spirits of the players.
“Furthermore, the coach was rewarded as an incentive to inspire the team to intensify their training for both national and international competitions,” he said.
Recognizing the Chinese origin of Wushu, Khandu, while addressing the Northeast Leaders Connect event in Kohima, Nagaland, stated that the 2026 Asian Games would take place in Japan and assured that his government was committed to providing the athletes with international level training.
Additionally, the chief minister disclosed plans to send the athletes to Indonesia for further training, expressing hope that they would be selected to compete in the 2026 Asian Games, triumph over their Chinese counterparts and secure medals for the country.
CM Khandu also underscored his government’s dedication to nurturing the talent of the youth in the state.
He highlighted a policy shift aimed at supporting athletes, citing Arunachal Pradesh’s achievement as the third-ranking state in the Northeast, trailing only Manipur and Assam, in the recently concluded National Games in Goa.
The chief minister expressed optimism about Arunachal’s ascent to the pinnacle of sports excellence in the near future. (With inputs from EastMojo)
Also read: CM Khandu declares Rs 5-cr prize for players getting Olympic gold
