India has no right to prevent Mohsin Naqvi from presenting the medals to the winners of themen’s and women’s cricket events at the ongoing 2026 <a href="https://cricket.international/indias-asian-games-preparations-hit-by-kit-hotel-issues-bcci-steps-in/" title="India’s Asian Games preparations hit by kit, hotel issues, BCCI steps in”>Asian Games in Japan if he is selected for the particular role, as it is clearly said by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Ahead of the men’s cricket tournament in Japan, on the topic of India’s ongoing tension with Pakistan on the cricket ground, the IOA mentioned that the Asian Games is neither an ICC event nor a bilateral series where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can take calls on its own.
What will happen if Mohsin Naqvi hands medals to the winning team in the 2026 Asian Games?
Who will present the medals to the winning cricket teams depends completely on the decision taken by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). In the last two editions of the Asia Cup, the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup and the recently concluded 2026 Women’s Asia Cup, the Indian national cricket team refused to take the trophies from Mohsin Naqvi, who is the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and an interior minister of Pakistan.
Additionally, as Mohsin Naqvi is the head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), there are chances to see him during the presentation ceremony of this year’s Asian Games cricket series for men’s and women’s.
IOA says Team India has no authority to say no to OCA
If OCA assigns Mohsin Naqvi to present the medals to the winning sides, and if the winning sides in the men’s and women’s cricket segments are India, then will the Indian cricket teams accept the silverware from his hands? The question remains.
“India can’t ask OCA not to nominate Mohsin Naqvi. After all, it’s the Asian Games, not an ICC or bilateral tournament. Neither IOA nor BCCI can place such a request before OCA or ask it to choose or exclude a particular person. Such a request cannot be made to OCA pre-emptively. Decisions of this nature can only be taken by OCA after considering the situation as it arises,” the Times of India quoted an IOA source.
Olympic Council of Asia’s rule for the medal distribution
However, one of the rules set by the Olympic Council of Asia could save the Indian cricket teams from such potential scenarios. According to Rule 66 of the OCA Manual and Guidelines governing the Asian Games, medals are to be presented by the OCA president, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar.
The rule also allows the president to delegate the responsibility to other OCA members, accompanied, where possible, by the president or deputy of the relevant international or Asian federation. As of now, it is nearly impossible to say who will present the awards to the cricket teams in the ongoing Games.
The men’s India T20I team, led by Shreyas Iyer, is scheduled to leave the team on Sunday to visit Japan for the 2026 Asian Games. India will be there as the favourite to win the title again. They will be there as the defending champions.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
