Asian Para Games 2026 in Japan: Questions Over Selection of Pakistani and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Athletes

 

Musarrat ullah jan , kikxnow , digital creator

Japan is set to host one of Asia’s major multi-sport competitions for athletes with disabilities, the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games. The fifth Asian Para Games will be held from October 18 to 24, 2026, in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, with athletes from around 45 National Paralympic Committees across Asia expected to participate.

The Games will feature 18 Para sports, including Para Athletics, Para Swimming, Para Badminton, Blind Football, Boccia, Para Cycling, Goalball, Para Judo, Para Powerlifting, Shooting Para Sport, Para Table Tennis, Para Taekwondo, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Fencing, Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Tennis, among other disciplines.

Para Table Tennis Included in the Japan Games

Para Table Tennis is among the 18 sports included in the Asian Para Games programme. Athletes from across Asia will compete in Japan at the continental level.

Importantly, participation in the Asian Para Games is governed by specific eligibility, qualification and entry requirements for each sport.

Therefore, simply being selected at a local or provincial level does not automatically qualify an athlete to represent a country at the Asian Para Games. The relevant sport-specific eligibility criteria, national-level nomination process and official Games entry requirements must also be fulfilled.

The Key Question for Pakistan

Preparations for the Asian Para Games are underway at the international and regional levels. However, an important question remains regarding Pakistan:

What selection mechanism is Pakistan using to select its Para athletes for the Asian Para Games in Japan?

In particular, regarding Para Table Tennis, several questions require clear answers:

• What are the criteria for selecting Pakistani athletes?
• When and where were the selection trials held?
• How many athletes participated in the trials?
• Which athletes have been nominated at the national level?
• Has the relevant national authority approved those nominations?
• Do the selected athletes meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for Aichi-Nagoya 2026?
• When and through which authority will Pakistan submit its final entries?

These questions are important because Aichi-Nagoya 2026 has established formal criteria covering athlete eligibility, selection and sport-specific qualification and slot allocation.

Questions Emerging From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Alongside the national selection process, questions are also emerging over the possible selection process for Para Table Tennis athletes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to information circulating within sports circles, a Para Table Tennis training camp has been started in Peshawar, with some athletes included in the camp.

However, some Para athletes claim that they were not properly informed about the selection process or the training camp.

One Para athlete has also claimed that some players have been selected in Peshawar, while a larger number of athletes remain unaware of the selection process.

This claim has yet to be independently verified. However, if the camp is actually part of preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, the issue becomes significant.

Is the Peshawar Camp for the National Team?

The first question is to establish the actual status of the Peshawar camp.

Is it simply a provincial training camp?

Is it a selection camp for the Asian Para Games?

Or have athletes already been selected and are now being prepared for the Games in Japan?

If the camp is part of preparations for Pakistan's national delegation, several questions arise.

Were All Eligible Athletes Given an Opportunity?

Were all eligible Para Table Tennis athletes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed about the selection process?

Were formal selection trials or performance assessments conducted?

If open trials were not conducted, what criteria were used to select the athletes?

Were performances in previous provincial competitions considered?

Was a formal selection committee constituted?

Were representatives of the relevant government sports authorities included in the selection process?

And most importantly:

If the current Peshawar camp is part of preparations for the national delegation, where is the official record of the selection process and the selected athletes?

Provincial Selection Alone Is Not Enough

It is important to distinguish between provincial selection and national representation.

Even if an athlete has been selected at the provincial level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that does not automatically mean the athlete will represent Pakistan at the Asian Para Games in Japan.

National-level approval, athlete eligibility, sport-specific qualification requirements and the official Asian Para Games entry process are all relevant.

Therefore, if athletes participating in the Peshawar camp are being described as selected or potential athletes for the Japan Asian Para Games, that claim should be verified through the relevant national-level official records.

Quiet Selection or a Formal Selection Process?

The central issue is not to target any individual athlete.

The real issue is transparency in the selection process.

If athletes were selected on the basis of merit, ranking, previous performance or predetermined criteria, the relevant authorities should be able to provide the records supporting that process.

If formal trials were conducted, the results should be available.

If no trials were conducted, the basis for selection should be clearly explained.

And if the camp is only a training camp and no final selection has yet been made, the relevant association should clarify this to avoid confusion among athletes and the public.

Questions for the Relevant Authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Table Tennis Association and relevant government authorities should clarify:

Is a Para Table Tennis training camp currently being held in Peshawar?

When was the camp started?

How many athletes are participating?

Is the camp connected to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games?

Have athletes already been selected?

If so, what were the selection criteria?

Were selection trials conducted?

How were all eligible athletes informed about the selection process?

Were the names of the selected athletes forwarded to the relevant national authority?

Has national-level approval been obtained?

And are these athletes included in Pakistan's official entry process for the Asian Para Games in Japan?

The Real Test Is Transparency

The Asian Para Games 2026 in Japan is a major international sporting event. The selection of athletes who will potentially represent Pakistan should therefore be based on a clear, transparent and documented process.

If the Peshawar camp is genuinely part of preparations for Pakistan's national delegation, the authorities should clarify the selection process, criteria, trials and official approvals.

If national selection has not yet taken place, that should also be made clear.

The question is not simply who will go to Japan. The real question is: On what basis will athletes from Pakistan, and particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, be selected to represent the country at the Asian Para Games 2026?

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