**Executive Summary**
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s lacrosse teams on March 25, 2026, following their gold medal victories at the Asian Lacrosse Games in Riyadh. The Minister urged the teams to focus on qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, highlighting lacrosse as an emerging major sport in India. Key upcoming milestones include competitions in China this April and an Olympic qualification pathway event in Australia this October.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Recent Achievements**
* Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams secured gold medals at the Asian Lacrosse Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February.
* The teams competed in the Sixes format, with the men defeating Iraq and the women defeating Pakistan in their respective finals.
* These victories are significant as the women's team only debuted internationally in 2024, followed by the men’s team in 2025.
**Government Support and Vision**
* The government has pledged continued support for athletes through initiatives such as Khelo India.
* Minister Mandaviya emphasized that the future focus must be on gaining international exposure, determination, and consistent effort to ensure qualification for LA 2028.
* The sport is noted for its diverse national representation, featuring athletes from states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
**Upcoming Competitive Roadmap**
* **April:** The 3rd Asian Lacrosse Games will take place in Chengdu, China.
* **October:** The Asia-Pacific Sixes Lacrosse Championships will be held in Australia.
* **Significance:** The October championships serve as a critical qualification pathway for the sport's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Lacrosse Athletes**
**Impact:**
Athletes have received national recognition and are now transitioned from regional competitors to Olympic hopefuls.
**Action Required:**
Teams must intensify training and preparation for the immediate assignments in Chengdu (April) and the Olympic qualification pathway in Australia (October).
**Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports**
**Impact:**
The Ministry is identifying lacrosse as a high-potential "upcoming big sport" for India's international sports profile.
**Action Required:**
The Ministry must facilitate ongoing support and resources through the Khelo India initiative to sustain the teams' momentum toward 2028.
**Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union**
**Impact:**
The organization is successfully developing competitive regional pathways to prepare teams for the sport's Olympic debut.
**Action Required:**
Continue organizing structured tournaments like the upcoming championships in China and Australia to formalize Olympic qualification routes.
Key Entities Referenced
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports who felicitated the national lacrosse teams and established the strategic objective for Olympic qualification.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The central government ministry responsible for the development of emerging sports and providing administrative support to the lacrosse teams.
Khelo India: A national sports initiative mentioned as the primary government program for providing ongoing support and training to Indian athletes.
Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: The target international event that serves as the primary goal for India’s lacrosse development and qualification efforts.
Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union: The regional governing body that organizes the Asian Lacrosse Games and oversees the competitive pathways for the sport in the region.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya urges
Lacrosse teams to aim for LA 2028 Olympics
Qualification
Posted On: 25 MAR 2026 1:26PM by PIB Delhi
New Delhi, March 25: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on
Wednesday felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s lacrosse teams following their gold medal-winning
performances at the Asian Lacrosse Games in Riyadh, urging them to continue working hard and aim to
create history by qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Interacting with the athletes, the Hon’ble Minister emphasised the importance of determination, exposure
and consistent effort in emerging sports like lacrosse. “Lacrosse is an upcoming big sport for India. This
was your first major international exposure and you have already brought home medals. Now the focus
should be on working harder, gaining more exposure and making the country proud by aiming for
qualification at LA 2028,” Mandaviya said.
He added that the government, through initiatives like Khelo India, will continue to support athletes, but
stressed that passion and perseverance remain key.
India delivered a dominant performance at the Asian Lacrosse Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this
February, securing gold medals in both the men’s and women’s events in the Sixes format. Indian men and
women defeated Iraq and Pakistan respectively in their final match.
The Indian women’s Lacrosse team made its international debut only in 2024, while the men’s team
followed in 2025, making the success even more remarkable. One of the standout features of India’s
triumph was the diverse representation from across the country, with athletes coming from a wide range of
states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam, Jammu &
Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.
The Asian Lacrosse Games, organised under the Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union, are part of a broader effort
to develop competitive pathways in the region ahead of the sport’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028
Olympics. India’s next major assignments include the 3rd Asian Lacrosse Games in Chengdu, China, in
April, and the Asia-Pacific Sixes Lacrosse Championships in Australia this October, which will serve as a
qualification pathway for LA 2028.Felicitated our lacrosse teams for their commendable performance at the Asian
Lacrosse Games 2026 in Riyadh.
Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, Bharat’s steady rise in
emerging sports is a matter of immense pride, reflecting the expanding depth and
strength of our… pic.twitter.com/Z9nQUTNlDH
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 25, 2026
*****
Ayushman Kumar
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