China's political stance is once again impacting international sports events, as three female Wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh, India, were denied entry into the Asian Games.
This decision by China has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage, especially considering these athletes were granted accreditation cards by the Asian Games organizing committee, which serve as entry visas.
The three players were expected to represent India in Wushu at the Asian Games, but they were unable to download their travel documents on Wednesday, the day of their scheduled departure.
This is not the first time Arunachal Pradesh (AP) athletes have faced such exclusion from Chinese-hosted sporting events.
In July, these same athletes were denied participation in the World University Games held in Chengdu, China, due to being granted "stapled visas," a contentious issue since China claims Arunachal Pradesh as its territory, while India rejects this claim.