For centuries, yoga has been revered as an ancient spiritual and physical discipline to harmonise the body, mind, and soul. But now yoga is a recognised competitive sport. Recently, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced plans to formalise yoga as a competitive sport. The initiative, led by the UAE yoga committee under the ministry of sports, marks a significant milestone, not only for the region but also for the global yoga community.
The UAE will become the first Gulf nation to give yoga full sporting recognition and develop a national framework for its promotion and regulation. According to reports, the UAE yoga committee is already working on a roadmap to host major international events, including the Asian Yogasana Championship in Fujairah. The committee’s agenda includes drafting formal competition rules, training local Emirati referees and coaches, and integrating yoga into school and youth sports systems.
This initiative also carries diplomatic and cultural resonance. With a large Indian expatriate population in the UAE, the move strengthens cultural ties between India and the Emirates.
India is the birthplace of yoga, and has been championing the idea of making yoga a recognised global practice for years. In 2020, yogasana was officially recognised as a sport in India, with the National Yogasana Sports Federation (NYSF) designated as the governing body to promote and regulate competitive yoga across the nation. Since then, yogasana has been included in the Khelo India Youth Games (2021) and is set to feature in the National Games 2025.
In April 2025, India dominated the 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship held in New Delhi, winning a record 83 gold medals, followed by Japan, Mongolia, Oman, and Nepal.
But one of the most significant milestones for yoga’s sporting journey is expected in 2026, when yogasana makes its debut as a demonstration sport at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4. The decision was unanimously approved at the 44th General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Randhir Singh, president of the OCA (2024-2028), says the inclusion is a progressive step. “There are risks of injuries in all other sports, but yoga is a sport which rejuvenates your body,” Singh said in a statement.
While no medals will be awarded in Nagoya, the demonstration event will serve as a crucial test. If yoga captivates audiences and participating nations, it could be elevated to a medal event in the 2030 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Singh emphasised that India and other proponents of yoga must “make its presence felt” in Nagoya by sharing its benefits, sending instructors abroad, and raising awareness among athletes and spectators alike.
Yoga’s transformation into a competitive sport is not entirely new. Its roots stretch back over 5,000 years, and by the mid-20th century, yoga competitions had already become somewhat common in India. Practitioners were judged on their ability to perform asanas with precision, balance, and grace. One of the early pioneers in promoting yoga as a physical performance art was Bishnu Charan Ghosh, a renowned teacher and the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, who helped popularise yoga in the West.
In later decades, figures like Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, had organised international yoga championships in the United States and other countries, helping to popularise competitive yoga on a global scale. Today, organisations such as the International Yoga Sports Federation (IYSF) and national bodies like the NYSF host annual championships, with the aim of standardising rules and making yoga a recognised global sport.
Modern competitive yoga events are modelled on principles similar to gymnastics or figure skating. Participants perform a set number of asanas, typically within three minutes, and are judged on alignment, strength, balance, flexibility, and control. Judges may also evaluate the difficulty level of poses and the fluidity of transitions between them.
Events usually include compulsory and optional poses, giving competitors room to showcase creativity and skill. Categories are often divided by age and gender, ensuring fairness and inclusivity. Despite the competitive atmosphere, participants are expected to maintain composure, mindfulness, and grace — a few qualities central to the essence of yoga.
Yoga supporters say that competitive yoga provides a platform to engage younger generations, offering them recognition and motivation while keeping them connected with an ancient tradition, while critics caution that turning yoga into a competition risks is distorting its original purpose.
They warn that the emphasis on flexibility and physical perfection may overshadow yoga’s deeper teachings of mindfulness, humility, and self-awareness.
