The 13-member Indian billiards contingent got a boost on Friday with the sports ministry approving their participation in the 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Incheon, South Korea, from June 29.
The government wasn’t clear whether to fund the players’ participation as they were to compete under the Olympic Council of Asia flag due to the ban on the Indian Olympic Association by the world body since December last.
“The sports ministry today gave the clearance that the government will bear the cost for participation of our players in the Asian Indoor Games in South Korea. We are relieved,” Billiards and Snooker Federation of India secretary S. Balasubramaniam said.
The players include the likes of Aditya Mehta, Alok Kumar, Sundeep Gulati and Balachandra Bhaskar. The contingent will depart for the games on June 27.
The government also approved 14 kabaddi players’ participation in the June 29 to July 6 multi-sport event. A total of 35 athletes and 11 officials from four sports have been cleared to participate.
Eight players — four chess and four bowling — will take part in the event at their own cost as the ministry refused to bear their cost.
All of the participants will participate under the banner of Olympic Council of Asia due to the existing ban on the Indian body.