How the Middle East crisis has affected sporting events and athletes

Iran’s conflict with the US and Israel has led to sporting events being postponed in several countries, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruption, with thousands of flights cancelled in some of the ​world’s busiest transit hubs.

The International Paralympic Committee said it is working to find solutions after several ‌athletes were finding it difficult to travel to the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games due to travel disruptions in several Middle Eastern airports.

“The closure of airspace in the Middle East is impacting the arrival of some stakeholders… we are working diligently with Milano Cortina 2026 to find solutions for those affected,” the IPC said on Tuesday.

The ATP Challenger event in Fujairah was cancelled due to safety concerns after a security alert abruptly halted play.

The ATP Tour ​later said a charter flight had been arranged, “fully funded by the ATP to assist with departures from the region at ⁠no cost to players”.

The US men’s hockey team withdrew from a hockey World Cup 2026 qualifier in ​Ismailia, Egypt, after an official advisory from the State Department urging all US citizens to leave nations within or close to conflict zones.

The International ​Hockey Federation said the US team had withdrawn with the body’s “full support” and the team departed Egypt earlier on Wednesday.

All sporting events in Iran have been cancelled until further notice, including the country’s top-flight Persian Gulf Pro League.

The Qatar Football Association indefinitely postponed all soccer matches in ​the country, putting in doubt a clash between Spain and Argentina set for Doha on March 27. The Bahraini FA also halted all domestic competitions.

Round of 16 clashes featuring Middle Eastern clubs in the Asian Champions League Elite in the first two weeks of March have been postponed until further notice .

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Next ‌week’s quarter-final ⁠clashes in the Asian Champions League Two and the Asian Challenge League featuring clubs from the region are also postponed, the continental soccer body (AFC) said on Wednesday.

Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who participated in the Dubai Tennis Championships last week, were among players facing travel difficulties in reaching California for the Indian Wells Open.

The ATP Tour said on Wednesday that the vast majority of players who were in Dubai ​had successfully departed on selected flights.

The World ⁠Endurance Championship postponed its season-opening race scheduled for March 28 at the Lusail circuit in Qatar, until later this year.

“A new date for the Qatar 1812km during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in ​due course,” the WEC said in a statement.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who ​heads the global ⁠motorsport governing body FIA, said safety will be their main concern when taking a decision on next month’s Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

“Safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA Formula One world championship,” he said ⁠on Monday.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu withdrew from the All England Open ​after being stranded for days at Dubai airport. She returned to India on Tuesday.

“Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly ​grateful to be back to my house,” Sindhu wrote on X.

Reuters.

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