Ironman Triathlon: 150 Indian athletes denied visas, asked to defer participation to 2022

Around 150 athletes who had enrolled for participating in Ironman Triathlon and half Ironman have received e-mails from event organisers to defer their participation to next year

Around 150 athletes who had enrolled for participating in Ironman Triathlon and half Ironman have received e-mails from event organisers to defer their participation to next year. The Indian athletes have been denied visas for the event, to be in Kazakstan on August 15, despite being fully vaccinated for Covid-19.

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The physically gruelling race involves 3.8 km of swimming, 180 km of cycling and 42 km of running in full Ironman in a single day.

IPS (Indian Police Service) officers such as Krishna Prakash and Ravinder Kumar Singhal and model-turn-actor Milind Soman have completed the immensely difficult and physically gruelling race in the past.

Several participants from Mumbai, Navi-Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad and Pune, apart from other parts of the country, were hoping to participate in the triathlon to be held in Kazakhstan.

Police constable Ashwini Deore was keen to participate in the Kazakhstan triathlon as it was cheaper in Kazakhstan, as compared to western countries where it is held.

“We have received e-mails from 2021 Ironman Kazakhstan and 2021 Ironman 70.3 Astana asking us to defer our participations to next year,” said Dr Arun Gachale, a paediatric from Nashik, who is one of the participants.

“As swimming pools are closed, I have practiced in Owe dam at Kharghar that even had snakes, and today I received an email asking me to defer the participation. I have spent a lot of energy practising,” said Satish Patil, who works for a German company.

Mahendra Chhoriya, a 43-year-old businessman, said participants from all countries, including Pakistan and China are allowed. China is the origin of the pandemic, but they have not been banned but instead Indians are banned, he said.

“We have spent lot of energy and money preparing for the event. Every month, we have been running 200-300 km, cycling 600 -800 km and also spent several hours swimming. If they refuse to allow us this year, I am not sure if I will be in the same body shape the next year,” said Chhoriya.

Another participant, Nilesh Zaware, said the athletes have written to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“We are also communicating with them regularly to get quick updates as by Thursday, we have to give confirmation on the deferral to 2022 or else ₹50,000 that we had paid will go wasted as the organisation doesn’t refund the money,” said Zaware.

Pune-based Omkar Jokar, a mechanical engineer, was to participate in the event along with a visually-impaired Aurangabad resident Nikit Dalal. The duo was to ride a cycle for 180km.

“It was a special event and Nikit was very happy as we had prepared well and were confident of achieving our goals in time. We are not sure if next time we will get so much time to prepare,” said Jokar.

Participants have also approached newly appointed minister of state for health and family welfare Dr Bharti Pawar.

“Dr Pawar has assured us that she will take the issue at the earliest with sports minister Anurag Thakur and the ministry of external affairs (MEA), “ said Dr Gachale.

Pravin Pawar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Dr Bharti Pawar’s husband, said, “We are following up the issue with MEA and are coordinating with them to chalk out a solution.”

Ironman’s media cell did not revert to an email sent to them.