Sports Ministry Mandates Background Verification for Dubai Para Games Participation

A 161-member Indian contingent has been cleared by the Sports Ministry to participate in the Asian Youth Para Games scheduled in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from December 7 to 14, 2025. The contingent includes 99 athletes (61 male, 38 female) and 62 coaches, support staff, and officials.

In a move aimed at ensuring discipline and accountability, the Ministry has directed thorough background checks of all members before departure. The directive follows reports of officials and support staff disappearing during international competitions, affecting athletes’ performance and support.

The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) Secretary General, Jayawant Gundu Hammanavar, has been appointed chef-de-mission, and his travel, along with that of any elected officials of the PCI or National Sports Federations (NSFs) included in the contingent, has been approved at no cost to the government.

Past incidents cited by para-athletes include cases where officials used international events as personal vacations, neglecting their duties. One example involved a wheelchair-bound coach at the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships in Beijing (October 2025), who took his son as an escort and was reportedly absent during matches, leaving athletes unsupported.

The Sports Ministry has also requested a comprehensive post-event report, which should include performance highlights, action photographs, and visual documentation, to be submitted within 30 days of the contingent’s return.

India’s para-athletics squad comprises 62 athletes, and participation is expected across 13 disciplines, including para-badminton, para-swimming, para-table tennis, and wheelchair basketball. More than 1,500 athletes from 45 countries are expected to compete in the Games, in the 13–21 age group.

The Ministry’s measures have been welcomed by para-athletes, who have expressed hope that the steps will prevent misuse of official positions and ensure better support for athletes during competitions.