NSC initiates special training for 2026 Asian Games

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 29: The National Sports Council (NSC) has started special training camps from January 29 to prepare athletes for the 20th Asian Games and the 5th Asian Para Games taking place in Nagoya, the capital of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, in 2026.

According to the council, earlier athletes were called to prepare for the Asian Games with only a year in hand. “Now, the athletes have three years to prepare and train. This is the first time that the athletes are given more than a year to prepare,” said Tanka Lal Ghising, Member-secretary at the council.

Ghising made the remarks while addressing a press conference to make the initiative public at the NSC building in Tripureshwor on Sunday. 

“Nepal has been participating in the Asian Games since 1951 and has won three silver and 23 bronze medals to date. With the preparation and training, we expect Nepali athletes to win medals in double figures, including at least one gold, in 2026 alone,” said Deepak Bista, head of National Team Preparation under the council.

Due to budget crunch, the council is starting special camps for five sports for the current fiscal year. “The association of five martial arts and combat sports – karate, taekwondo, boxing, wushu and judo – have referred 10 players each for the training. Among the 50 athletes, 21 are female,” read a statement by the council.

“We will add more sports from the next fiscal year. We have been assured of enough budgets by the government,” said Ghising.

The council has demanded Rs. 940 million for the special training camps until 2026.

“The training will be extremely beneficial for athletes as they have enough time for effective preparations,” said Bista, who is also a former national taekwondo player.

There will be two coaches for each sport as referred by the respective associations and experts in the camp. The participating athletes and coaches will each be given Rs. 300 per day for diet and a kit set of Rs. 8,000.

The council will also insure the participants under health insurance alongside conducting regular health and fitness check-ups, diet and nutrition classes, motivation and sports science classes and anti-doping awareness.

As the current plan will be in effect until the end of the current fiscal year, a better plan will be implemented from the next fiscal year with more budget. “We will include 240 players in the special camp from the next fiscal year,” Ghising informed.

The council also looks forward to organising as many events as possible to give more exposure to athletes. A national-level Para Games tournament is also said to be organised this year.