Football and tennis in focus as Sports Ministry considers lifting ban on OCI athletes

The Indian Sports Ministry is considering a potential revocation of the long-standing ban on Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card-holders representing the country in international sports. Introduced in 2008, the current regulation allows only Indian passport-holders to officially play for the nation.

This possible policy shift comes amid concerns over India's lack of progress in sports like football and tennis, where overseas-based athletes of Indian origin have often been unable to contribute due to passport restrictions, as per PTI. The idea behind reconsidering the ban is to strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem by opening the doors for more global talent with Indian roots.

The proposal is still in its early stages. According to a ministry official, any change would require extensive discussions between all involved stakeholders and is likely to be a gradual process.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has shown particular interest in the move, even though there are currently no high-profile OCI players ready to be drafted into the national team. The aim is more long-term — to ensure that promising footballers of Indian descent growing up abroad don’t automatically miss out on representing India due to passport issues.

In tennis, this restriction has already impacted notable names.

While nothing is confirmed yet, the ministry’s openness to reviewing the regulation suggests a shift towards a more inclusive sporting framework that values talent, regardless of geographical background.