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A stray dog bit a Kenyan official at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, raising safety concerns as India ranks eighth with 11 medals at the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi (PTI)
In an unusual turn of events at the World Para Athletics Championships, a stray dog bit a Kenyan official inside Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday, sources told IANS.
According to sources, two dog-catching vehicles were rushed to the venue to capture the stray dog and ensure the safety of athletes, officials and spectators.
The Kenyan official has been identified as sprint coach Dennis Mwanzo by a report in Pulse Sport.
“We have been here in New Delhi for the Para Athletics Competition. In the morning, while warming up with Stacey Obonyo for the 200m, we had just finished and were working on block starts. I bent down to fix the clips for her, and suddenly I felt a grip on my leg,” Dennis Mwanzo was quoted as saying to Pulse Sport.
“At first, I thought someone was holding me, but when I turned, I saw it was a black-and-white dog. I struck it to free myself. I’ve since been treated at the hospital, as we don’t know if the dog had been vaccinated.”
“While there, I met a Chinese woman and two others who had also been bitten. They even have a clinic specifically for dog bites,” he added.
What Has Been Done Since?
The incident has raised questions about the preparedness of stadium authorities in handling such unexpected situations, especially during an international event of this scale.
In response to the request, the MCD deployed two dog-catching teams to the stadium. The teams successfully removed all stray dogs from the premises, ensuring strict adherence to animal welfare norms.
The stray dogs were relocated to shelter homes to receive proper care and rehabilitation. Additionally, sanitisation of the affected areas was carried out in coordination with civic agencies to ensure the venue remains safe, hygienic, and fully operational.
A source added that the situation is now under control, and “reinforced preventive measures have been put in place to avoid any recurrence”.
In August, a formal request had been made to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to safeguard the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium premises by addressing the issue of stray dogs inside the venue. Acting on this request, the MCD had earlier taken steps to remove stray dogs from the stadium.
Dog Menace In Delhi
In August 2025, a Supreme Court bench of two judges ordered the Delhi Municipal Corporation to remove all stray dogs from city streets and place them in shelters. Shortly thereafter, a three-judge bench revised this order, suspending the blanket “no release” directive, deeming it impractical due to the limited shelter capacity in Delhi. The court instead ruled that only dogs displaying aggressive behaviour or those infected with, or suspected of having, rabies should be isolated, immunised, and kept in designated shelters or pounds. Other stray dogs could remain on the streets.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, one of Delhi’s premier sporting venues, has hosted several major tournaments in the past, with athletes from across the globe participating. With 2,200 para-athletes, including support staff from 104 countries, attending the nine-day World Para Athletics Championships 2025 that kicked off on September 26, ensuring strict safety protocols is considered crucial.
What Is World Para Athletics Championships?
The WPAC 2025 is the first event on the newly-laid Mondo track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The track, in shades of blue and used at the Paris Paralympics 2024, was inaugurated by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on August 29, celebrated as National Sports Day.
On September 25, Dr Mandaviya also inaugurated a Mondo warm-up track and a multi-speciality gymnasium where more than 200 athletes can train simultaneously.
In the ongoing edition, India is currently eighth in the medal tally with 4 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals.
In Kobe, Japan, India delivered their best-ever performance at a World Para Athletics Championships: 17 medals — six gold, five silver, six bronze — finishing sixth overall.
In the 2023 edition in Paris, India had already broken its earlier record by winning 10 medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze), setting the stage for what followed.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin… Read More
October 03, 2025, 16:01 IST
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