Eight Indian athletes face visa delays for 2026 Asian Games

Dubai: The 2026 Asian Games is just days away from the opening ceremony, yet some Indian athletes have yet to set foot in Japan. The group of Indian athletes is currently facing visa delays, which is keeping them in New Delhi.

Eight athletes and two coaches are still waiting for clearance to travel, with high jumper Supriya B and pole vaulter Sindhushree G among those affected. The group also includes hammer thrower Praveen Kumar, 200m runner Harita Bhadra, quarter-miler Kiran Pahal, heptathlete Anamika KA and triple jumper Asha Ilango.

The athletes were added to the Asian Games squad after impressive performances at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar in June. Sindhushree was one of the standout late additions after setting a new national record in the pole vault.

Their inclusion came after the original list of participants since the eight athletes were still undergoing qualification. This eventually led to their accreditation paperwork to be completed separately.

The accreditation for the eight athletes is still pending, and that is understood to have contributed to the visa delay.

According to Deccan Herald, the group has made multiple visits to the visa office over the past 10 days, including on Monday, but has yet to receive travel clearance. A holiday for Ganesh Chaturthi could further slow the process.

The delay is particularly significant because the athletes were scheduled to attend a preparatory camp at Tsukuba University before the Games. Most of India’s 70-plus track and field athletes have already arrived in Japan.

With the Asian Games opening in Aichi-Nagoya on September 19, the athletes are increasingly concerned about losing valuable preparation time. Officials remain hopeful the visas will be issued soon, but the uncertainty continues.