New Delhi: Union sports minister Anurag Thakur on Friday cancelled his visit to China as a mark of protest to Beijing’s denial of accreditation to three sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh for participation in the Hangzhou Asian Games with New Delhi describing the Chinese action as discriminatory and against the spirit of the sporting event.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India lodged a strong protest with China and asserted that New Delhi reserves the right to take “suitable measures” to safeguard its interests.
Describing the Chinese action as targeting of the sportspersons in a “pre-meditated” manner, Bagchi said it violates both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct as they “explicitly prohibits discrimination” against competitors from member states.