Unplayed Mongolia fixture denies India shot at historic Asian Games esports medal

New Delhi: India’s hopes of securing a historic esports medal at the Asian Games in Japan suffered a setback after an unplayed eFootball fixture against Mongolia was recorded as a forfeit win, leaving India without the goal difference it needed to remain in contention for the knockout stage.India’s eFootball pair of Chinmay Sahoo and Danial Patel, coached by Saksham Rattan, had earlier drawn 0-0 against Uzbekistan’s Abubakir Iminjonov and Farrukh Mirkhamitov. With India needing a win in its next Group F fixture, Mongolia’s Munkh-Ochir Batmanlai and Khantamir Munkh-Orgil failed to report to the Call Room within the stipulated time. India was subsequently awarded a 0-0 forfeit victory.Asian Games Full Coverage | Schedule | Medal TallyHowever, Uzbekistan defeated Mongolia 2-0 across the console and mobile matches and finished top of Group F. With only the group winner advancing directly to the quarterfinals, India’s campaign ended despite its awarded victory.The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) has raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the fixture and the subsequent qualification calculations. The federation said India was denied the opportunity to actually play Mongolia, score goals and improve its goal difference, which it says was relevant to determining qualification among the teams.According to ESFI, Uzbekistan was able to play its fixture against Mongolia and subsequently benefited from the resulting goal difference before eventually winning the bronze medal. ESFI has questioned whether recording no goal difference for India’s forfeited match created an unequal sporting opportunity.The federation also cited a series of technical and scheduling disruptions. Matches scheduled for 9am reportedly began only after 11.30am due to problems with an organiser-provided playing device. The Uzbekistan-Mongolia fixture, scheduled for around 3pm, reportedly started at approximately 5pm Japan time, affecting the timing of the India-Mongolia encounter.ESFI further alleged that Mongolia had not been adequately briefed about the required Call Room reporting time and that its team manager was unable to leave the preceding match to complete the reporting process for the next fixture.The federation said India’s subsequent request for a review by the Olympic Council of Asia, the Esports Organising Committee and competition management went unacknowledged. ESFI also alleged that India was not given adequate clarity on the applicable rules within the stipulated 15-minute window to lodge a formal protest.India sought clarification on the regulatory basis for recording no goal difference in forfeited matches, the use of average points and average goal difference for ranking, the complete qualification calculations and when the ranking methodology was formally communicated to participating teams.ESFI has called for a transparent review, a written response and appropriate corrective action, while reaffirming its respect for competition rules and technical officials.India’s 15-member esports contingent is competing across four disciplines: eFootball, Puyo Puyo Champions, Pokémon UNITE and League of Legends.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.