TWO-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALLIST PV Sindhu is set to miss the All England Championships starting in London on Tuesday after being stranded in Dubai amid the joint US and Israeli attacks of Iran and the resultant air space closure in the Gulf region.
Sindhu was left stranded after an explosion occurred near the area in which they were staying, amid escalating tensions in the Gulf as Iran retaliated against US interests across West Asia.
Sindhu has been unable to travel since Saturday after flight operations were suspended following widespread airspace closures triggered by missile strikes in the region.
The former world champion said she and her support staff had been relocated to a secure location and expressed gratitude to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for its prompt assistance, including deploying officials to help stranded passengers.
The travel disruption follows a major offensive launched by the United States and Israel on Iran, which led to retaliatory missile strikes across parts of the Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates. The escalating situation prompted multiple airlines to cancel or reroute services.
Air India confirmed the cancellation of all flights to and from key Gulf destinations, while Dubai International Airport suspended operations indefinitely due to airspace restrictions.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said it was closely monitoring the situation in coordination with Badminton England and national associations.
“The safety and wellbeing of all athletes, officials and support personnel remain our highest priority,” the BWF said, adding that contingency options within the competition schedule were being reviewed should players face delayed arrivals.
While most Indian players have already reached Birmingham, a handful remain affected. Among those who have arrived are Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, men’s singles contender Lakshya Sen, rising talent Ayush Shetty, and women’s doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly. Malvika Bansod has also reached the UK. However, Unnati Hooda remains in India after her direct flight from New Delhi to Birmingham was cancelled at short notice.
