Asian Games 2026: Flagbearer switch leaves Team India with an embarrassing early setback. What happened?

India’s Asian Games campaign in Nagoya was hit by a last-minute organisational setback after defending shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor was replaced as the country’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony, according to a report by ToI's Manuja Veerappa & Sabi Hussain.

Toor was due to carry the Indian flag alongside Manu Bhaker at Saturday’s ceremony. However, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) replaced him with kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat on Friday night after Toor informed officials that he would not have the ceremonial kit required for the event in time.

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The development came less than 24 hours before the opening ceremony and exposed coordination issues involving the athlete, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the IOA.

Ceremonial kit delayed before opening ceremony

Toor had received a ceremonial kit before leaving India, but it was in the wrong size and was sent back for alterations. The revised kit did not reach him before he left for Japan.

Toor trained at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala before joining the athletics contingent in New Delhi for the official send-off and Indian Athletics Finals Series on September 10. He subsequently travelled to the University of Tsukuba for the pre-Games training camp.

Sources told TOI that the issue remained unresolved in Nagoya on Friday night. Toor was quoted as saying he had informed the IOA that he would be unable to attend the ceremony because the kit was not expected to reach him before 3 pm on Saturday, three hours before the event.

The IOA initially described the reason for the replacement as “technical”. Toor was also initially reported to have forgotten to take his ceremonial kit from India, a version he disputed.

“Looks like he has been told to say that he forgot to carry his kit in India when he had received none,” a source alleged.

Athletics contingent misses opening ceremony

The problem was reportedly not limited to Toor. TOI reported that more than 100 Indian athletes were still waiting for their ceremonial kits, while the athletics contingent had also faced delays after seeking changes to sizes and numbers.

According to sources cited by ToI, the athletics federation had told athletes that their ceremonial kits would be supplied in Nagoya. Athletes therefore travelled according to their planned schedules while the kits were sent separately.

The consignment was reportedly delayed in transit. As a result, the entire 74-member Indian athletics contingent missed the opening ceremony.

“There was miscommunication between the athlete, AFI and IOA on the issue. If the athlete is carrying with him his playing and training kits from India, he should also pack the ceremonial kit,” a source was quoted as saying.

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Last-minute replacement raises coordination questions

TOI reported that officials in Aichi-Nagoya should have checked with the AFI whether its athletes had received their ceremonial kits before announcing Toor as flagbearer. The AFI, in turn, should have confirmed the position with Toor before forwarding his name.

The expanding Indian contingent and last-minute requirements reportedly added to the logistical pressure, with officials trying to meet shortages from available stock.

Toor eventually took public responsibility for the episode. However, the sequence of events highlighted a communication breakdown between the athlete, the federation and the IOA just before India’s Asian Games campaign formally began.

(With inputs from ToI)