Asian Games 2026: India’s Contingent Revised to 501 Athletes After Three Replacements, Two Anti-Doping Drops

India’s contingent for the Asian Games 2026 has undergone further changes ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports naming three replacements while two athletes have been removed from the squad over anti-doping violations.

According to information available to Sportstar, the latest changes take India’s contingent to 766 members, comprising 501 athletes and 265 support staff. The athlete contingent includes 267 men and 234 women, with the Asian Games set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

The most prominent change comes in athletics, where Yash Vir Singh has replaced injured javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. The change had already been announced by the Athletics Federation of India last week after Chopra was ruled out of the Games. Two further athlete replacements have now been made in wushu and volleyball, as India finalises its squad for the continental multi-sport event.

Roshibina Devi returns to Asian Games squad

In wushu, two-time Asian Games medallist Naorem Roshibina Devi has been brought back into the Indian contingent, replacing Divyanshi in the women’s 60kg category. Roshibina is an experienced name on the Asian Games stage and her inclusion provides India with a proven medal contender in wushu. Her return will be closely watched given her previous success at the continental event.

The Manipuri athlete won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games and followed it up with another silver at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, establishing herself as one of India's leading wushu athletes. Her replacement comes as India continues to make adjustments to its Asian Games team in the final stages before the competition begins.

The second replacement has been made in the men’s volleyball team, with Hemanth Pulparambil taking the place of Erin Varghese. The change gives the Indian volleyball squad another opportunity to prepare for the Asian Games with its final composition now being put in place. Volleyball will be among the team sports where India will look to make an impact during the Games. Alongside the three athlete replacements, there has also been a change to the support staff. Sudesh Sangte has replaced Devanshi Hareshbhai Patel as the coach of India's soft tennis squad.

These changes mean the Indian delegation now stands at 766 members across athletes and support personnel.

Abhishek Pal, Deepak dropped over anti-doping violations

While three athletes have entered the contingent, two have been removed. Long-distance runner Abhishek Pal and Greco-Roman wrestler Deepak have been dropped from the Indian contingent following anti-doping violations. The development comes as India continues to operate under strict anti-doping protocols ahead of one of the country's biggest multi-sport assignments of the year. The removal of the two athletes represents a significant change to India's original selection and highlights the importance of compliance with anti-doping regulations in the build-up to the Games.

The changes also come at a late stage, with the Asian Games opening in Japan on September 19.

India had initially named a large contingent for the 20th Asian Games, with athletes selected across a wide range of sports. The final adjustments have now brought the athlete count to 501. The delegation will comprise 501 competitors, with the men's contingent numbering 267 and the women's contingent 234. They will be accompanied by 265 support staff, taking the total size of India's delegation to 766.

The Asian Games 2026 will be held across Aichi and Nagoya in Japan from September 19 to October 4. For Indian athletes, the event represents an important opportunity to compete against the best in Asia and build on the country's performances at previous editions. India enjoyed a historic campaign at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, where it recorded its best-ever medal haul at the continental event. The challenge now will be to maintain that momentum in Aichi-Nagoya.

With the final days of preparation underway, India's focus will shift towards competition. The inclusion of experienced athletes such as Roshibina Devi adds further strength to the squad, while the replacements in athletics and volleyball ensure that injured or unavailable athletes are covered.

At the same time, the removal of Abhishek Pal and Deepak underlines the importance of maintaining compliance with anti-doping regulations until the Games begin.

With the contingent now finalised at 501 athletes across 37 sports, India will head to Japan aiming for another strong showing at the Asian Games and an opportunity to add to its growing medal tally on the continental stage.