‘Asian Games Dream Officially Over’: Anush Agarwalla ‘Deeply Hurt’ After Being Denied Chance To Compete

Last Updated:September 15, 2026, 09:08 IST

Anush Agarwalla, Indian dressage rider, is “deeply hurt” after missing the Asian Games due to an “unfair process,” despite his past medals.

Anush Agarwalla says he will take a break from training for the first time since moving to Germany 10 years ago. (PTI Photo)

Anush Agarwalla’s hopes of competing at the 2026 Asian Games have ended, leaving the Indian dressage rider questioning a selection process he believes denied him a fair opportunity. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games will go ahead without Agarwalla, who represented India at the Hangzhou Asian Games and returned with two medals – a team gold and an individual bronze.

He had been named a reserve for this year’s Asian Games before ultimately being left out of the squad.

“The dream of Asian Games 2026 is officially over,” he wrote in a post.

Agarwalla opened up about the disappointment in an emotional Instagram post, making it clear that his frustration stemmed not from the possibility of losing in competition, but from not being allowed to compete in the first place.

“Words cannot explain the pain and emptiness I feel right now. I have always represented India with immense pride, and always will. But this time, I am deeply hurt – not because I lost, but because I was never given the chance to compete.”

The rider’s exclusion had already become the subject of a selection dispute. Agarwalla challenged the decision and questioned how the prescribed selection criteria had been applied. The Delhi High Court eventually chose not to intervene, finding that the selection had followed the established criteria.

For Agarwalla, however, the issue was about more than the result itself.

Describing what he called an “unfair process”, he wrote: “I can accept defeat on the field. That is sport. You fight, you win, you lose, and you come back stronger. But this feels less like defeat and more like betrayal.”

He also reflected on the effort that went into preparing for the Games alongside his horse Floriana.

“Accepting an outcome doesn’t mean I have to believe the process was right. I fought until the very last moment, and I am proud of that. A fight for a medal is any day a better fight. A fight against the system may never yield a medal, but at least it leaves a record of who stood in the way between me, Floriana, my horse, and the medal we worked for.”

Agarwalla said he had sought the intervention of the Equestrian Federation of India, the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports Ministry. According to him, none of those efforts resulted in a review of the matter.

“I only hope no athlete has to go through this again. If India wants to become a true sporting nation, athletes deserve a system that is fair, transparent and respects the years of work behind every opportunity.”

Away from the immediate disappointment, Agarwalla said he intends to step back from training for a while. It will be his first such break since he moved to Germany a decade ago.

“For the first time since moving to Germany ten years ago, I will take a break from training. I need it. But I will return, and the Olympics will be the next goal. The Indian flag will always be worth fighting for.

His message ended with thanks for those closest to him and an assurance that his competitive ambitions remain intact.

“To my coach, my family and everyone who stood by me – thank you. You carried me through one of the hardest moments of my life. And Floriana, thank you. You did everything you could. I am sorry we couldn’t share that stage. You deserved to be there. I truly believe our bigger moments are still ahead. This hurts. But I am not done. On to the next goal.”

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Why was Anush Agarwalla excluded from India’s 2026 Asian Games dressage team?

Anush Agarwalla was named as a reserve but ultimately left out of the main squad due to a selection dispute over how the criteria were applied. The dispute centered on whether his international scores from CDI Hagen and CDI Lier should count toward the final order of merit. The Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) ad-hoc panel ruled that these scores did not comply with the selection criteria, specifically citing a rule requiring riders to declare their official selection trials at least seven days in advance.

How did the Delhi High Court rule on Anush Agarwalla’s selection dispute for the 2026 Asian Games?

The Delhi High Court chose not to intervene in the selection dispute, finding that the selection of the Indian dressage team had followed the established criteria. Agarwalla and fellow rider Sudipti Hajela had challenged their exclusion from the squad, but the court ultimately upheld the decision made by the Equestrian Federation of India’s selection committee.

What are Anush Agarwalla’s career achievements and his next competitive goals after missing the 2026 Asian Games?

Anush Agarwalla previously represented India at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where he won a historic team gold and an individual bronze, making him India’s first-ever individual equestrian medalist at the event. Following his exclusion from the 2026 Games, Agarwalla announced he will take his first training break since moving to Germany ten years ago. However, he plans to return to competition with his horse, Floriana, targeting the Olympics as his next major goal.

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Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More

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