In the digital era, Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), revealed that SAT employs AI technology and advanced sports science to meticulously analyze the fitness of the Thai team. They also scan competitors' weaknesses and strengths ahead of the 20th Asian Games and 5th Asian Para Games in Japan. He emphasized that athlete selection for this Asian Games follows clear criteria to ensure the competition justifies the budget.
Dr. Kongsak Yodmanee, Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), disclosed progress in preparing the Thai national team for the 20th Asian Games, scheduled from 19 September to 4 October 2026 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The selection of athletes follows clear criteria, primarily requiring qualification through each sports federation and consideration of world rankings to ensure promising results. Furthermore, athletes must have the potential to advance towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Those meeting these criteria will earn the right to compete without issue. SAT aims to send athletes to compete effectively within the allocated budget.
Regarding the Thai athletes qualified for the 20th Asian Games after the submission deadline to the organizing committee, a total of 667 athletes from 47 sports associations will participate. The men's hockey team added 20 athletes later, following a sudden withdrawal of a nation from the final round, which led to Thailand moving up in ranking.
Additionally, the SAT Governor stated that in preparing the Thai national athletes this time, SAT and the National Sports Development Fund have jointly promoted the use of collected data and statistics analyzed with advanced technology, including AI or artificial intelligence. This serves as a database to identify weaknesses and strengths of both Thai athletes and their competitors.
“The primary use of AI currently supporting the Thai team involves sports science. SAT uses AI to analyze physical fitness and assess athlete readiness. AI also gathers data on competitors to analyze their weaknesses and strengths, preparing the team for the 20th Asian Games and 5th Asian Para Games in Japan. AI use is just the beginning, but in the future, SAT plans to adopt more intensive AI technology for team preparation, enabling deeper, more comprehensive analysis of both our athletes and competitors,” said Dr. Kongsak.