The escalating conflict in West Asia has significantly impacted the ongoing World Para Athletics Grand Prix being held in New Delhi, with participation dropping sharply. Although nearly 30 countries had earlier confirmed their presence, only six foreign nations eventually travelled to India for the competition.
Coaches associated with the Indian team said the war in the region, along with the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, played a major role in the steep decline in participation. They noted that during the inaugural edition of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix held at the same venue last year, 18 foreign nations had taken part, but organisers were unable to match those numbers this time.
A total of 257 athletes are competing in the second leg of the season, with India fielding a massive contingent of 219 participants across various track-and-field events and sport classifications. Russia has the second-largest presence with 40 para athletes, while the remaining countries have only a minimal representation.
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“The event has been hit hard by the ongoing conflict in the Gulf as well as Ramzan. Around seven to eight Muslim countries could not travel because of that (Ramzan). Several International Paralympic Committee officials were also unable to travel and had to be replaced at the last minute as they were not getting flights into India,” said a coach associated with a renowned para athlete, requesting anonymity.
“Most connecting flights come via Dubai and the Gulf region, and with the disruptions many athletes had to cancel their travel plans,” the coach added.
The inaugural Grand Prix held in Dubai last month featured competitors from 53 nations, giving it a strong international presence. In contrast, the event in India has been largely dominated by the host country this time, with several events witnessing clean sweeps due to the limited participation from overseas athletes.
“When the Grand Prix took place in Dubai, there were no such issues and India had also sent a 59-member contingent. Most of the withdrawals this time happened at the last minute. We received several communications, and governments of a number of countries issued travel advisories, which led to their contingents pulling out,” another coach said.
Devendra Jhajharia, president of the Paralympic Committee of India, acknowledged that the ongoing conflict and Ramzan had indeed affected participation but stressed that the event still demonstrates India’s capability to host a major international competition despite global challenges.
“Yes, participation is lower due to the month of Ramzan and the conflict in the Gulf. Several events have been cancelled because of that. But we are still organising an international competition, which is a positive step,” he said.
Jhajharia also pointed out that hosting the World Para Athletics Grand Prix allows emerging Indian para athletes to complete their classification process within the country.
“Organising the event means new Indian para athletes can get their classification done here itself. We have succeeded in that, with 74 new athletes receiving their classification. If an athlete has to travel abroad for classification, it can cost them several lakhs of rupees,” he explained.
He further noted that the Asian Para Games are scheduled later this year in Japan, making the Grand Prix an important opportunity for Indian athletes to achieve their MQS (Minimum Qualification Scores).
“Our athletes need to meet the MQS standards, so many of them are competing here to secure those marks. Once they achieve the MQS, there will be trials followed by the final selection for the Games,” he added.
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