In a setback for Indian para-athletics, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced the medal events and athlete quotas for the LA28 Paralympic Games. The programme will feature 23 sports and 560 medal events.
However, two key events have been omitted from the para-athletics schedule — the Men’s Javelin Throw F41, which includes Indian thrower Navdeep Singh, the Paris 2024 gold medallist, and the Men’s Discus Throw F56, an event in which Yogesh Kathuniya won a silver medal both at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Reacting to the development, Kathuniya exclusively said to RevSportz:
“It’s very disappointing. I honestly don’t know why this happened, and I’m quite clueless about how to deal with it right now. This event — Men’s F56 discus throw — has always had solid participation, and yet it has been dropped. That’s what hurts the most.”
“Right now, I’m trying to stay focused on what’s ahead — the World Championships to be held in India and then the Asian Para Games. But mentally, this is a setback.
“I’ve been told that the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) is getting involved and will appeal the decision. They’ll try their best to get this reconsidered by the IPC. I can only hope that they succeed and that the event is reinstated. It means a lot not just to me but to many athletes around the world who’ve worked tirelessly in this category.”
Paris Paralympics Gold medallist in Javelin F41, Navdeep Singh also expressed his disappointment.
“Yes, it’s disappointing. Right now, I am keeping my focus on the World Championship. Will think of this later as to what transpires”, said Navdeep.
The decision has sparked concerns within the para-sports community. For India, which has seen steady growth in para-athletics, the exclusion of these events affects medal prospects and the careers of committed athletes who now face uncertainty about their future at the Paralympic stage.