After the Indian wushu team pulled out of the World University Games in China on the issue of giving ‘stapled visa’ to three players from Arunachal Pradesh, an official of the national federation on Friday said that the global multi-sport competition would have been a test event for the athletes selected for the upcoming Asian Games.

The official of the Wushu Association of India (WAI), who did not want to be named, said his organisation had wanted to test the performance of some of the players during the World University Games (WUG) in view of the Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8.

“We were hoping that the World University Games would be a test event for the players selected for the Asian Games,” the official said.

Eight players and four officials were to leave for Chengdu on Wednesday for the WUG which began on Friday but they were told to stay put by the government after three female players from Arunachal Pradesh were issued ‘stapled visas’ by the Chinese embassy here.

On Thursday, India had described as “unacceptable” China issuing stapled visas to a few sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that it reserves the right to “suitably respond” to such actions.

Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu are the players from Arunachal Pradesh. Four players out of the eight are also part of the Indian wushu team selected for the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Team coach Raghvendra Singh said the remaining five players could have gone for the WUG.

Wushu competition begins on Saturday.

“Out of eight players, three can’t go but the rest could have gone,” Singh told TV channels.