The horrific Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives and left several others injured, has cast a pall over the forthcoming South Asian Senior Athletics Championships, leading to delays in visa approvals for Pakistani athletes.
Terrorists opened fire at a popular tourist site in a scenic meadow in South Kashmir, roughly 30 miles southeast of Srinagar, on Tuesday. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. The assault is being described as one of the deadliest in the region in recent years.
The athletics event was originally scheduled to take place from May 3 to 5 at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Ranchi. However, according to The Indian Express, the event is now expected to be pushed to June, although an official reschedule has not yet been confirmed. Meanwhile, athletes from Bhutan have already arrived in Ranchi and begun their training. As of now, there is no official clarity on the revised dates.
This postponement marks the second time the South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) Senior Championships have been delayed within a span of seven months. The event was previously set for October 4–6, but was postponed just weeks prior to the original dates.
“Reference to the Circular dated 4 April 2025 regarding South Asian (SAAF) Senior Athletics Championships scheduled to be held from 3rd to 5th May 2025 at Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. In this regard, it is informed that the South Asian (SAAF) Senior Athletics Championships 2025 have been postponed, and the new dates will be announced soon,” stated a letter issued by Athletics Federation of India (AFI) secretary Sandeep Mehta.
The fourth edition of the Championships was expected to host athletes from across the region, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. However, ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan have complicated participation. India has suspended all ties with Pakistan under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, revoking previously issued visas.
Pakistan had submitted a list of 43 athletes, including Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem. Several notable South Asian athletes such as Sri Lanka’s fastest sprinter Yupun Abeykoon and 400m bronze medallist Aruna Darshana had also confirmed their participation.
