Explained: India Denying Pakistan For Multi-Lateral Events Can Hurt Olympics Bid

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 19:26 IST

India approved Pakistan's participation in several sports events to avoid violating the Olympic Charter and risking future hosting rights, following past visa denial issues.

Pakistan's Rangers soldiers, in black, and Indian Border Security Forces soldiers, lower their flags during a daily closing ceremony at the Wagah (PTI)

With an audacious bid to host the Olympic Games at stake, the Indian government could not have blocked Pakistan from multilateral sporting events despite prevailing public anger against the arch-rivals, as it could have resulted in the nation being barred from hosting future big events.

On Thursday, the government approved Pakistani participation in the Asia Cup hockey tournament (August), the Junior World Cup (November-December), the Junior Shooting World Cup (September), and the World Para Athletics Championship (October).

Blocking Pakistan, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, would have violated the Olympic Charter, which serves as a constitution for the Olympic Movement. Rule 44 of the Charter specifically prohibits National Olympic Committees from excluding athletes based on racial, religious, or political reasons. Failure to grant visas can lead to international isolation and loss of hosting rights for future events.

India faced this issue six years ago when Pakistani shooters were denied visas for the ISSF Shooting World Cup, an Olympic qualifying event. The IOC, in response, halted discussions with India on hosting future events and revoked the Olympic qualifying status of the 25m rapid-fire pistol competition intended for Pakistani shooters. This action followed the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel by a Pakistan-based terrorist group.

Talks on future events resumed only after India provided written guarantees that no such discrimination would occur. The IOC had recommended international federations neither award nor hold sports events in India until these guarantees were obtained. A year earlier, India had also denied visas to boxers from Kosovo for the Women’s World Boxing Championship.

How Barring Pakistan Can Hurt India’s Olympic Bid?

As India aggressively pushes its plans to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad, any move to stop Pakistani athletes in multilateral events would severely harm its prospects.

“It is not a simple situation. If you want to present yourself as a nation capable of hosting global events, you can’t stop athletes from any country from coming. But bilaterals is different and we can always avoid Pakistan in any such engagement," a ministry source explained the government’s decision.

(With inputs from PTI)

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...Read More

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...

Read More

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