NANJING, China - Seventeen Indian athletes have been disqualified from the second Asian Youth Games in China because they are over the age limit, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) confirmed on Tuesday.

Rules stipulate that only athletes born in 1997 or later - meaning under 17 - are eligible to compete at the Aug 16-24 games in Nanjing. But those Indian athletes were born in 1996, an OCA official, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua.

"I don't know who should be held responsible for the incident, as right now an investigation is underway," he said.