Indian Contingent Prepares for Asian Winter Games with Italian Training Amid Funding Challenges

The Indian contingent takes the Italian route to achieve as much success as possible at the ninth Asian Winter Games, to be held in the Chinese city of Harbin from February 7.

With the sports ministry backing out of sanctioning an 18-day-long international exposure in Italy, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the local Dobbiaco municipality in Italy came forward to support the Indian contingent, numbering 30 players (excluding coaches).

"The January 5 to 22 international exposure tour for Indian players in Italy was made possible with the support of FIS president Johan Eliasch and other stakeholders," one of the officials familiar with the development said.

"The players shortlisted for next month's Asian Winter Games and attending an advanced camp in Dobbiaco will avail themselves of world-class facilities to prepare for the continental competition in China," a skiing coach added.

Dobbiaco is a popular destination for international players. It has excellent facilities and has hosted global competitions in the past.

Shiva Keshavan, a six-time Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, said that technical inputs from international coaches during the advanced camp in Dobbiaco will certainly provide good preparation for the Indian team. "The tour to Italy ahead of the Asian Winter Games will also give Indian coaches a chance to learn and share knowledge when they return home," Keshavan added.

Earlier in November, the sports ministry had, in principle, agreed to fund the international exposure tour to Italy but later declined to sanction funds for the European exposure tour. The sports ministry had initially approved a list of a 70-member team for the Winter Asian Games but later pruned it down.

Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding are the events in which the Indian team will compete in China. Olympian Arif Khan from Jammu and Kashmir is the most experienced player in the team.

"Hope the sports ministry comes forward to sanction funds for the upcoming continental competition in China," a skiing coach from Uttarakhand said. "In previous editions, Indian players had to make their own arrangements to travel to the Asian Winter Games. I had to pay for my ticket in the past."

The world body didn't recognize the 2023 elections of the Indian governing body. Due to a lack of transparency and good governance, the Indian Ski and Snowboard Federation was suspended by the world governing body (FIS).

The IOA (Indian Olympic Association), in coordination with the FIS, set up a six-member ad hoc panel to oversee winter sports activities in India. Keshavan, a six-time Winter Games Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, is the chairman of the ad hoc panel.