How does pollution affect Indian athletes and sports?

Pollution directly hinders athletic performance and participation, leading to issues like respiratory illnesses, increased injuries, and reduced lung capacity for athletes, especially affecting children and women.

What actions are needed to address pollution in Indian sports policies?

India needs to mandate pollution audits in sports policies, support resilient sports infrastructure and event management, and enact nationwide AQI protocols.

When should India implement nationwide AQI protocols for sports?

Nationwide AQI protocols should be enacted before the Commonwealth Games 2030 to safeguard athletes and ensure viable sporting conditions.

Home / Sports / Pollution Clobbers Indian Athletes: Urgent Action Needed

Pollution Clobbers Indian Athletes: Urgent Action Needed

26 Jan

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Summary

Pollution severely impacts athletic performance and participation.
Elite athletes have faced training disruptions due to poor air quality.
Nationwide AQI protocols are needed before Commonwealth Games 2030.

Pollution Clobbers Indian Athletes: Urgent Action Needed

India's national sports policy, Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, champions sports for health and development, yet fails to adequately address the severe impact of pollution on athletes. Air and water pollutants directly hinder performance and participation, with vulnerable groups like children and para-athletes suffering most. Endurance athletes inhale toxic air, leading to respiratory and systemic illnesses. High-intensity sports also see increased fatigue-driven injuries. Polluted water bodies endanger aquatic sports, and even winter disciplines are affected by soot and shifting snow patterns.

Recent events highlight this crisis, including a top badminton player withdrawing from the India Open 2026 due to extreme pollution (AQI ~400) and canceled local marathons. Elite athletes from Khelo India and TOPS programs have requested training relocations because prime Indian venues lack breathable air. This mirrors a broader environmental crisis requiring integrated policy solutions.