India at the 2022 Winter Olympics

Sporting event delegation
India at the
2022 Winter Olympics
Flag of India
IOC codeIND
NOCIndian Olympic Association
Websiteolympic.ind.in
in Beijing, China
4–20 February 2022
Competitors1 (1 man and 0 women) in 1 sport
Flag bearer (opening)Arif Khan
Flag bearer (closing)Volunteer
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Independent Olympic Participants (2014)

India competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022. The country's participation in Beijing marked its eleventh appearance at the Winter Olympics since its debut in 1964.[a]

The India team consisted of one male alpine skier, Arif Khan, who was the country's flag-bearer during the opening ceremony. He did not win a medal, and as of these Games, India had not earned a Winter Olympic medal. A volunteer served as the flag-bearer during the closing ceremony.

Following China's decision to make one of its soldiers involved in the border clashes with India as a torchbearer for the Olympics, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced that no official from India will attend the opening or closing ceremony of the games.

Background

This edition of the Games marked the nation's eleventh appearance at the Winter Olympics since they debuted at the 1964 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria.[a][3] The Indian delegation consisted of chef de mission Harjinder Singh and a lone athlete, Arif Khan.[4][5][6]

While many countries from the west announced a diplomatic boycott of the games as a protest against the human rights abuses in China, India announced that it will not join the boycott and supported China during the tripartite summit involving the two countries and Russia.[7] But following China's decision to make one of its soldiers involved in the July 2020 border skirmishes with India as a torchbearer during the torch relay held on 7 February 2022 as a prelude to the Olympic games,[8] the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced a diplomatic boycott of the games and that no official from India will attend the opening or closing ceremony of the games.[9][10] While India claimed that the games are being unnecessarily politicised, China dismissed its concerns.[11]

Arif Khan was the country's flag-bearer during the opening ceremony.[12][13] A volunteer served as the flag-bearer during the closing ceremony.[14][15]

Competitors

Sport Men Women Total
Alpine skiing 1 0 1
Total 1 0 1

Alpine skiing

Qualification

Arif Khan, the lone Indian participant in the games

The basic qualification mark for the slalom and giant slalom events stipulated an average of less than 160 points in the list published by the International Ski Federation (FIS) as on 17 January 2022. The quotas were allocated further based on athletes satisfying other criteria with a maximum of 22 athletes (11 male and 11 female athletes) from a single participating NOC.[16] Indian alpine skier Arif Khan met the basic qualification standard with 127.20 points in the slalom and 137.26 points in the giant slalom categories.[17] Subject to the other criteria, Khan qualified to participate in both the events at the games.[18][19]

Athlete Event Slalom Giant Slalom
Points Rank Result Points Rank Result
Arif Khan Alpine skiing 127.20 3170 Q 137.26 3659 Q

Main event

In the giant slalom event held on 13 February 2022 at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre, Khan completed his first run in 1:22.35 to rank 53rd. Though he took slightly longer to complete the course in the second run at 1:24.49, he ranked 44th among the competition. With a combined time of 2:47.24, he finished 45th in the overall classification.[20] Khan's effort was the best ever in the event for India beating the previous best set by Jeremy Bujakowski in the 1968 Winter Olympics.[21]

In the slalom event held on 16 February 2022, Khan failed to finish his first run, thus earning a DNF.[22] He started strongly, crossing the first intermediate check-point in 14.40s and the second in 34.41s before he veered off course and failed to go through one of the gates in the final sector, thus crashing out of the competition.[23]

Athlete Event Run 1 Run 2 Total
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Arif Khan Men's giant slalom 1:22.35 53 1:24.49 44 2:47.24 45
Men's slalom DNF Did not advance

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b An Indian athlete entered the 2014 Winter Olympics as Independent Olympic Participants as the Indian Olympic Association was suspended during the time.[1] The suspension was revoked when the games were underway and two other competitors competed under the Indian flag.[2]

References

  1. ^ "IOC bans India from Olympics". CBC Sports. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  2. ^ "International Olympic Committee reinstates India at Sochi after ban". CNN. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  3. ^ "India at the Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Constant practice takes Arif Khan to the Winter Olympics". The Hindu. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  5. ^ "India at the 2022 Winter Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Harjinder Singh appointed India's Chef de Mission for Beijing". The Times of India. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  7. ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (17 January 2022). "India to participate in Beijing Winter Olympics sans high-level political presence". The Economic Times. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Galwan PLA officer is torch bearer at winter olympics". The Times of India. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  9. ^ Haidar, Suhasini (3 February 2022). "Indian diplomats to boycott Beijing Winter Olympics". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Beijing Olympics: What a diplomatic boycott means, and why some athletes have traveled with burner phones". The Indian Express. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Galwan soldier as Olympic torchbearer: China dismisses India's anger". The Hindustan Times. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Beijing-2022 Opening Ceremony Flag-Bearers". International Olympic Committee. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Asian NOC flagbearers for Beijing 2022 opening ceremony". Olympic Council of Asia. 4 February 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Beijing-2022 Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearers" (PDF). International Olympic Committee (IOC). 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Asian NOC flagbearers for Beijing 2022 closing ceremony". Olympic Council of Asia. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  16. ^ "2022 Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing Selection Procedure" (PDF). US ski and snowboard. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Alpine skiing eligibility ranking for Olympic Winter Games 2022". International Ski Federation (FIS). 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  18. ^ "Alpine skiing quotas list for Olympic Winter Games 2022". International Ski Federation (FIS). 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  19. ^ "J&K skier Arif Khan qualifies for 2 events in 2022 Winter Olympics". The Indian Express. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  20. ^ Results of Alpine skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics – Men's giant slalom (PDF) (Report). International Ski Federation. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  21. ^ "Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics: India's Mohammad Arif Khan finishes 45th in giant slalom". Olympics.com. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  22. ^ Results of Alpine skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics – Men's slalom (PDF) (Report). International Ski Federation. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics: India's Mohammad Arif Khan falters in slalom". Olympics.com. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
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