Bombing in Iran / Courtesy: IANS/Xinhua

Conflicts, which many call wars, have wreaked havoc on innocent humanity in general and on sports in particular. History is dotted with conflicts that have not only devoured the 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games but have also since impacted prestigious and elite sporting events, including the Olympic Games, World Cups, Continental Games, and Commonwealth Games.

Intriguingly, none of the major sporting events in the recent past could escape the impact of the growing menace of global conflicts, though the quantum of damage varied. In some cases, it was limited to a boycott of ceremonies, including a ceremonial handshake and a group picture of athletes on the podium, a boycott of the opening and closing ceremonies, or blatant disrespect to the raising of the flag or playing of the national anthem of the gold medalist nation or athlete.

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The last edition of the Winter Paralympics in Milano Cortina was also impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. From the boycott of the opening to the closing ceremonies, athletes from some of the countries, especially from Ukraine, were indifferent to podium-finish athletes from Russia and Belarus.

Milano Cortina was not the exception. In the first week of March, when Ismailia in Egypt played host to the FIH Hockey World Cup for men's qualifying tournament, the USA, the aggressor in the ongoing major armed conflict with Iran, withdrew its team after it had played two of its pool matches. The withdrawal was consented to by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The USA had lost its games to England 0-5 and Japan 0-4, while its remaining games against Pakistan, Malaysia, China, and Egypt were treated as cancelled. The withdrawal of the US team followed an advisory issued by the State Department asking the Americans to leave the conflict zone in the Middle East. If the mighty US could withdraw from a World Cup qualifier, the plight of other countries can be imagined.

Now Iran has been pressing the International Football Federation (FIFA) to shift its FIFA World Cup 2026 initial pool matches to Mexico. Interestingly, Iran maintains that it would not withdraw from the FIFA World Cup 2026 but may boycott the matches it has to play on US soil. Iran plays New Zealand on June 15, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26.

Since the US-Israel hostilities against Iran are impacting the Middle East, many sports enthusiasts have started doubting the ensuing Asian Games in Japan being held on schedule. Among those who have started doubting the 2026 Asian Games being held as scheduled is Dronacharya award winner and former chief coach of the Indian men's and women's hockey teams, Harendra Singh. Harendra Singh was also associated with US field hockey as the chief coach of its national men’s team.

In a recent social media post, Harendra Singh says that this thought came to mind while reflecting on the current scenario of the ongoing West Asia conflict. I would like to get some genuine answers and suggestions from those who would love to see a truly competitive Asian Games-2028.

"Remember, athletes competing in the forthcoming Asian Games have a direct ticket to LA-2028 if they finish on top of the podium (gold medal). Therefore, a serious and introspective discussion may be required.

“Is it really possible to conduct the Asian Games as per the scheduled dates under the current circumstances? A genuine question to the Asian Olympic Council: if the Games are held on the same dates, would it be unfair to the Gulf countries, whose preparations may be impacted due to the ongoing conflict?

“Is the Asian Olympic Council contemplating deferring the schedule? If yes, it could provide valuable time for teams, particularly in hockey, to recover from the World Cup and prepare better for the Asian Games. This would also allow players adequate recovery time in an already demanding competition calendar.

“Have all teams prepared a Plan B in such a scenario?

In Asia, we often say *Plan *B* always works. Just a thought for reflection. I would love to hear the opinions of my Facebook friends and gather more ideas to ensure fairness and competitiveness,” he adds.

Answers to questions raised by Harendra Singh and other ardent sports lovers may take a while to arrive, as the nations impacted by the conflicts are busy mitigating the havoc wreaked by the rifts at a time when the world is going through its worst economic downturn.