In an unexpected plot twist at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, the fiercest competitors weren't just on the track. Two international coaches found themselves in a surprise warm up session with the local canine residents, adding "avoiding stray dogs" to the unofficial event list.
The surprise competitors, a pair of stray dogs, made their move during Friday morning training sessions at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Their targets were Dennis Mwanzu, a Kenyan fencing coach, and Meiko Otomatsu, an assistant coach from Japan. The Kenyan coach suffered a bleeding leg wound, and both were promptly taken to a nearby hospital for initial treatment, including a rabies vaccine for Coach Mwanzu. Team doctor Michael Okaro called the incidents a "big sign of worry" at a global event of this stature.
A day after the incident, Coach Mwanzu shared his alarming experience, recalling how a "black and white dog" grabbed his leg from behind. He expressed frustration that despite the attack, no apparent measures had been taken, noting, "I just saw a dog passing by". The Organizing Committee later stated that two dog-catching teams had been permanently deployed at the venue in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. They also pointed a finger at "individuals repeatedly feeding stray dogs near the venue" for attracting the animals.
This is not an isolated incident, but a long standing and complex challenge for Delhi. The city has an estimated street dog population of around one million and sees thousands of dog bite episodes daily. The central government had recently announced an ambitious, two year plan to microchip one million stray dogs, but the canines at the stadium appear not to have read the memo. India's Supreme Court has also been entangled in the issue, recently walking back a mass detention order for strays after public outcry, opting instead for a policy of sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning non-aggressive dogs to their neighborhoods.
The 12th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships, which runs from September 27 to October 5, is the largest Para sport event ever held in India, featuring over 1,000 athletes. For two coaches, however, the event has been a truly unforgettable experience, proving that in New Delhi, even a supposedly world class stadium isn't always a safe haven from the city's enthusiastic four legged locals.