Asian Games: China bars 3 Arunachal athletes from participating, India lodges protest
Three Indian players barred by China
India on Friday (Sept 22) lodged a strong protest with Beijing after it stopped three wushu players from participating in the Asian Games being held in China’s Hangzhou.
The three players hail from the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is viewed by China in its entirety as Chinese territory. Wushu, also known as kung fu, is a multidisciplinary martial art that is believed to have originated in China.
Other seven players from India, along with the coaching staff, had already left for Hangzhou on Wednesday.
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According to media reports, the three female participants from Arunachal had their application approved by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee but were unable to download their accreditation cards, which act as visas to enter China.
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India’s strong reaction
In a response to media queries, the official spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry, Arindam Bagchi stated that New Delhi rejects “differential treatment of Indian citizens on the basis of domicile or ethnicity.”
“China’s action violates both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against competitors from member states,” the statement added.
The ministry further reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India.
As a mark of protest, India also cancelled a visit by one of its top ministers to China. “Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports of India has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games,” the foreign ministry disclosed.
China’s reaction
Beijing on Friday justified its decision to deny entry to the three Indian athletes by suggesting that they did not have "valid" documentation.
Meanwhile, a senior Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) official was quoted by AFP as saying Friday that they had been issued visas for the Hangzhou Asian Games, denying they were barred.
"These India athletes already got a visa to enter China. China didn't refuse any visa," OCA honorary life vice president Wei Jizhong, who is from China, told a press briefing in Hangzhou.
Chinese foreign ministry also reacted to the developments
Asked about the trio at a regular foreign ministry briefing in Beijing, spokeswoman Mao Ning said: "China welcomes athletes from all countries with legal documents to come to Hangzhou and take part in the Asian Games.”
"The Chinese government does not recognise the so-called Arunachal region that you mentioned. South Tibet is part of China," she added.
The three athletes didn’t travel to China in July for the World University Games after Beijing issued them stapled, rather than pasted, visas.
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