SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA (SAI), under the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme, is providing India’s karatekas with crucial exposure in the lead-up to the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. SAI has approved a 45-day Senior National Coaching Camp for karate, currently underway from 17 November to 31 December at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow, according to a SAI release.
The camp comprises 64 members, including 48 athletes, 12 coaches and four support staff, and has been sanctioned with Rs 1.42 crore in financial assistance under the Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs) Scheme. The Asian Games are scheduled to take place from 19 September to 4 October next year.
A key objective of the camp is to ensure that the 48 identified core athletes; 24 men and 24 women continue uninterrupted high-performance training despite the derecognition of the National Sports Federation (NSF). The program guarantees full access to training facilities, coaching support, sports science services, equipment, and recovery systems for both the men’s and women’s squads.
With no NSFs currently recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), SAI constituted an Organising Committee for Karate in July this year to oversee all operational aspects of the sport including athlete selection, coaching camps and overseas exposure.
To maintain a transparent and merit-based selection pathway, the committee conducted Open National Selection Trials in the senior category from 12–14 October at the SAI Training Centre on the NEHU Campus in Shillong. These trials were fully administered by the Karate Organising Committee, adhering to international standards, anti-doping protocols and videography-based assessments.
The committee will remain active until an NSF is formally recognised by MYAS, ensuring that athletes do not encounter administrative disruptions in their training cycle. Similar committees have also been established for martial arts disciplines Ju-Jitsu and Kurash.
