Singapore athletes among those affected as war on Iran disrupts global sporting events
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Singapore table tennis player Izaac Quek (left) will train in the Republic and miss his French Pro A League game for Les Loups d'Angers after his flight to Paris via Doha on Qatar Airways was cancelled.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
- Singapore athletes and teams face significant travel disruptions and event withdrawals due to US-Israel military strikes on Iran.
- The attacks have caused widespread flight cancellations and security concerns, prompting travel deferral advisories.
- International sporting events face severe disruptions, with AFC matches postponed and athletes like Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu stranded in Dubai.
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SINGAPORE – Military attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, along with the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory strikes on neighbouring Middle East countries, have wreaked havoc in the world of sports, with flight cancellations affecting travel plans and athlete participation.
Following the recently concluded Singapore Smash,
He will be in good company as French players such as Thibault Poret, Esteban Dorr and Florian Bourrassaud are caught in the same situation and will train with Singapore players at the OCBC Arena while finding alternative travel arrangements.
It is understood that French brothers Alexis and Felix Lebrun
Quek said: “It’s unfortunate that this has happened because I want to help my team in the league match.
“But this is a situation beyond our control and safety comes first, so we have to see how things pan out, given the danger and uncertainty, before we decide if it is worth travelling or stay in Singapore to train and focus on other tournaments.”
Meanwhile, the national men’s football team’s plans for the March international window hang in the balance. The Lions have a scheduled centralised training stint in Dubai, where they will also face the Faroe Islands in an international friendly on March 26.
A Football Association of Singapore spokesperson said: “We are closely monitoring the evolving security situation in the Middle East and its implications for travel and football activities.
“All matches involving teams travelling to or from the Middle East... are under review. The safety and well-being of our players, coaching staff, officials and supporters remains our foremost priority.”
Elsewhere, Fencing Singapore withdrew its participation in World Cup foil and sabre events in Egypt, Greece and Italy before the competitions were suspended by the International Fencing Federation (FIE).
A Fencing Singapore spokesperson said: “The safety of our athletes and coaches is paramount. Once the risks became apparent, Fencing Singapore proactively suspended our participation for competitions in the affected region.
“We assured our affiliates that affected competitions will be removed from our national ranking system and athletes will not be penalised. We are providing support on necessary cancellation and insurance claims, while alternative travel and training plans are being arranged for athletes currently based overseas.
“We remain in communication with the FIE and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), and will make necessary adjustments as the situation develops.”
The Singapore Squash Rackets Association also decided not to compete in the April 14-18 Asian Team Championships in Pakistan “due to safety concerns”, while the Singapore Disability Sports Council cancelled plans to send four para-athletes to the April 9-16 Riyadh 2026 World Boccia Challenger in Saudi Arabia.
Boccia athlete Jovin Tan was naturally disappointed not to be able to compete, as it was an important milestone he had been preparing for, but added: “At the same time, I fully understand that safety must come first. I sincerely hope for peace and stability, and for sport to continue serving as a symbol of unity.”
After the MFA urged Singaporeans to defer travel to the Middle East in a Feb 28 statement, the High Performance Sport Institute’s head of governance and assurance Todd Vladich sent out a similar advisory to national sports associations.
He wrote: “Singaporeans currently residing or transiting in the region are advised to take all necessary precautions for their personal safety. This includes staying indoors, proceeding to a safe shelter when alerted, monitoring the news closely, and heeding the local government’s advice.
“In addition, Singaporean travellers may wish to consider alternative travel arrangements that do not involve transits through the region due to potential disruptions arising from airspace closures or flight cancellations.”
While the March 1-21 Women’s Asian Cup proceeds as scheduled in Australia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) postponed first-leg knockout matches in all three of its main club competitions, including the AFC Champions League Elite.
In a March 1 statement, it said: “In light of the developing situation in the Middle East... matches in the west region, originally scheduled for March 2-3, 2026, will now be rescheduled.”
Other foreign athletes based across the globe affected by the Middle East conflict include American swimmer Lydia Jacoby, who wrote on Instagram that she heard shots fired by a gunman who killed two people and wounded over a dozen at a Texas bar on March 1.
The gunman, who was shot dead while exchanging fire with the police, was wearing clothes with an Iran flag design, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation saying it is “potentially an act of terrorism”.
She wrote: “Tonight was the most terrifying and real experience of my life. To have heard the shots and know the consequences is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have never been more grateful to be alive.”
India’s badminton star P. V. Sindhu’s participation in the All England Open is in doubt after she found herself stranded in Dubai as she attempted to travel to Birmingham for the March 3-8 competition, while Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev is also stuck in the United Arab Emirates after winning the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Denmark’s two-time Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen, who is based in Dubai, however, said in an Instagram story that he is safe and is “following the local guidelines provided by the authorities. No need to panic”.
Additional reporting by Deepanraj Ganesan and Melvyn Teoh
