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Mission Olympic Cell Backs Taekwondo, Karate Stars for 2026 Asian Games

The Mission Olympic Cell has approved targeted international exposure and coaching support for Indian taekwondo and karate athletes as part of the build-up to the Asian Games 2026. Taekwondo athletes Rodali Barua and Rupa Bayor have received backing for competitions and physiotherapy programs. In karate, Bhuvneshwari Jadhav and Alisha have been sanctioned for international tournaments and specialized training. The 168th MOC meeting assessed multiple athlete-specific proposals, accepting support worth approximately Rs 1.70 crore across various sports.

Key Points: India's Mission Olympic Cell Funds Taekwondo, Karate Athletes

  • Customised international exposure for combat sports
  • Financial aid for tournaments & coaching
  • Focus on taekwondo and karate athletes
  • Build-up to Asian Games 2026
3 min read

Mission Olympic cell backs targeted international exposure for taekwondo, karate athletes in Asian Games 2026 build-up

MOC approves international exposure for athletes like Rodali Barua and Bhuvneshwari Jadhav ahead of Asian Games 2026 with targeted financial support.

"The recommendations have been accepted ensuring consistent tactical and technical support during the competition cycle. - Official Release"

New Delhi, February 11

In a significant push to strengthen India's combat sports pipeline, the Mission Olympic Cell has given a go-ahead to customised international exposure and coaching support for athletes in taekwondo and karate, ahead of the Asian Games 2026, according to a release.

In taekwondo, Rodali Barua has been backed for participation in five international competitions - Bulgaria Open 2026, Slovenia Open 2026, Dutch Open 2026, Oceania Championships 2026 - which are G2 level competitions as recognised by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

She is also scheduled to participate in the fourth Mount Everest International Open Taekwondo Championship in Nepal, 2026, a G1-level tournament.

The Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) has recommended the proposals for a financial amount of Rs 21.20 Lakh and the tourneys are scheduled over the months of February and March for Barua, who has been a bronze medalist at the President's Cup, Oceania Region, Gold Coast, in 2025.

Another taekwondo athlete, Rupa Bayor, has been supported under the TAGG Scheme for a Physiotherapy, Masseur, and Strength & Conditioning (S&C) Programme for a period of nine months until September 2026.

She is currently ranked 6th in the World and 1st in Asia. The recommendations have been accepted ensuring consistent tactical and technical support during the competition cycle.

In Karate, the MOC approval for support was put forward to Bhuvneshwari Jadhav over participating in three international competitions along with a structured training programme. The competitions are scheduled to be held in Rome (11th-16th March 2026), China (8th-13th April 2026), and Spain (22nd-27th April 2026).

She will also participate in a training program under foreign coach Sulaymon Sharifovich, scheduled to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in March. The total financial assistance put forward is Rs. 20.12 Lakh, which also includes support for her coach Keerthan Kondru, and a Sparring Partner.

Financial Assistance for another Karate athlete, Alisha and her coach Vikas, has also been sanctioned under TAGG for 2 competitions -- in Rome (11th-16th March 2026) and China (8th-13th April 2026).

The total monetary value recommended is Rs. 5.94 Lakh. Both Bhuvneshwari and Alisha had won bronze medals at the 2025 Asian Championship held in Uzbekistan.

The recommendations for the combat sports of Taekwondo and Karate were part of the deliberations during the 168th Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting, where athlete-specific proposals were assessed based on recent performances, future potential and international competitiveness. Multiple athlete proposals were accepted for an overall Rs 1.70 crore.

Other athlete proposals accepted included financial assistance for Squash star Anahat Singh's strength and conditioning coach, an extension of off-season training camp for Neeraj Chopra till April 2026 in Pretoria as well as foreign exposure camps for para-athletes Varun Bhati and Sandeep Chaudhary.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Great step by MOC. But I hope this isn't just for a few top names. We need to build a deep pipeline in these sports. What about the junior and sub-junior levels? The investment should trickle down so we have multiple contenders, not just one or two.
A
Aman W
Bhuvneshwari and Alisha getting to train under a foreign coach in Uzbekistan is a game-changer. Our karatekas have the skill, they just need this high-level tactical polish. The 2025 Asian Championship bronze shows the potential. All the best to the entire team!
P
Priyanka N
Finally seeing some focus on combat sports other than wrestling and boxing! Taekwondo and Karate have given us medals before. Rupa Bayor is ranked 1st in Asia! With consistent support, she can be a gold medal favourite. Jai Hind!
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David E
As someone who follows sports management, this is a very professional approach. Athlete-specific proposals, covering coaches and sparring partners - that's how you build champions. The ₹1.70 crore overall seems well-allocated across sports. Hope the execution is as good as the planning.
K
Kavya N
Good to see support for the support staff too - the physio, masseur, S&C coach for Rupa. An athlete's performance depends so much on their team. This holistic approach will reduce injuries and keep them at peak condition. More power to our women athletes! 💪

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