The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the Indian Government has strongly criticised the Chinese authorities after three Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh — Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega, and Mepung Lamgu — were prevented from boarding their flight due to clearance issues. The MEA labelled the incident as 'targeted and pre-meditated discrimination'.
"The Government of India is aware that the Chinese authorities have deliberately discriminated against certain Indian athletes from Arunachal Pradesh by denying them accreditation and entry to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. India consistently and firmly opposes any differential treatment of its citizens based on their place of residence or ethnicity.
"Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will continue to be, an integral and undeniable part of India. We have lodged a strong protest in both New Delhi and Beijing against China's intentional obstruction of some of our athletes. This action by China goes against the ethos of the Asian Games and the regulations that govern them, which clearly forbid discrimination against participants from member countries."
"In light of this, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports of India has decided to cancel his planned trip to China for the Games. The Indian Government retains the right to take appropriate actions to protect our interests," the statement elaborated.
Previously, Sports Tak had reported a 'technical glitch' in their accreditation. Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, Chef de Mission India for the Asian Games, commented, "I've been liaising with the OCA to sort this out. There was a minor technical issue with their accreditation, which prevented them from boarding. However, based on my discussions with officials, I anticipate they will be able to travel to China by this evening."
The rest of the Wushu team, comprising 10 players and their coaching staff, faced no such issues. They left for Hong Kong on Wednesday evening and were scheduled to catch a connecting flight to Hangzhou.
This incident marks the second time in two months that these players have encountered difficulties travelling to China for a tournament.
Earlier, in late July, the same athletes were denied participation in the World University Games in Chengdu, China, due to the issuance of stapled visas. These visas reflect China's refusal to acknowledge India's sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh. India has always refuted China's claims over the northeastern state. As a result, the eight-member wushu team chose to withdraw from the Chengdu event in a gesture of protest.
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