Simran Sharma Alleges Harassment, Says Officials Demanded Additional Fitness Certificate Before Asian Para Games

Indian para-athlete Simran Sharma, who won two gold medals at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, has alleged that officials at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium harassed her ahead of the continental competition.

The visually impaired sprinter claimed that she faced unnecessary hurdles while trying to obtain a fitness certificate from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) fitness centre before travelling to Japan.

"Unhone certificate dene se mana kar diya yeh kehke ki, 'Pehle humare liye letter leke aao'," Simran alleged as reported by Hindustan Times, explaining that officials refused to issue the certificate without an additional letter. She eventually obtained the fitness certificate elsewhere.

Questioning the treatment meted out to athletes representing the country internationally, she said, "Jab aap ek officer ho aur aapko pata hai ki India ke khiladi country ko represent karne jaa rahe hain, toh aap unko pareshan kyun kar rahe ho?"

According to her account, the experience added to the difficulties she faced in the run-up to the Games, raising concerns about the treatment of elite para-athletes at a national training facility.

Simran, however, overcame the alleged ordeal to deliver a remarkable performance in Japan. She won gold in the women's 200m T12 event before securing the 100m T12 title in a Games-record time of 12.02 seconds.

Her double-gold achievement underlined her resilience, while her allegations have brought attention to the administrative challenges athletes may encounter while preparing for major international competitions. The claims have not been independently established.