Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is currently stranded at Dubai airport after airspace closures in the Middle East disrupted flights. Sindhu was travelling to Birmingham for the 2026 All England Open Super 1000 when operations were suspended following the US and Israel’s attack on Iran.The former world champion shared the situation on social media, posting a video that showed long queues at the airport.
“All flights suspended until further notice,” she wrote while sharing the post.“It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying. So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend,” she wrote in a different post on X.“To everyone who has been messaging and checking in, thank you, it truly means a lot. I am safe right now, stuck here in Dubai with my team, and we are doing okay as the situation around the war with Iran continues to evolve. The Airport is chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting, all of us just hoping we get past this soon.“Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is. Praying for safety and peace for everyone affected.”While Sindhu remains stuck, India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have safely reached Birmingham for the prestigious tournament. Shetty confirmed their arrival through a social media post, writing, “Safely landed in Birmingham before US struck Iran.”Sindhu is not the only Indian sportsperson affected by the sudden escalation of tensions in the region. The Indian men’s basketball team is also stranded due to the airspace closure. The team is currently in Doha, Qatar, where they had travelled for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. They were scheduled to fly to Lebanon for their next assignment but are now unable to proceed because of the disrupted flight operations.The unexpected travel chaos has impacted several international passengers, including athletes heading for major sporting events. With flights suspended until further notice, Sindhu and others will now have to wait for further updates before continuing their journeys.
