New Delhi: In a major embarrassment, two international coaches attending the 12th World Para Athletics Championships in the capital were bitten by stray dogs at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, reigniting conversations around the Supreme Court verdict that sparked a major controversy. Kenya's sprint coach Dennis Mwanzo and Japan's assistant coach Mieko Okumatsu were the victims of the stray dog attack at the warm-up track of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 3, Friday morning. The championship, which India is hosting for the first time, has brought together 1,200 athletes from 104 countries and runs from September 26 to October 5. India's successful hosting is seen as part of its broader push for major international events, including bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics.

Speaking to a news outlet, Mwanzo said,“At first, I thought someone had grabbed me, but when I turned, it was a black-and-white dog. I struck it to free myself. Thankfully, I've been treated, but we still don't know if the dog was vaccinated.” Okumatsu, part of Japan's intellectually impaired squad, was also bitten during training.“I was attacked in the morning, but the medical staff disinfected the wound promptly,” she said.

Why Is This Significant? 

According to Kenya team doctor Michael Okaro, the incident occurred around 9:30 am when Mwanzo was preparing starting blocks for sprinter Stacey Obonyo's 200-metre training session.“Dennis was bitten on the right calf and immediately rushed to Safdarjung Hospital for rabies vaccination. For an event of this scale, such incidents raise serious concerns,” he told The Indian Express. 

According to reports, Press Information Bureau (PIB) data reveal that over 25,000 dog bite cases were reported in Delhi in 2024, up from 17,847 in 2023. Nearly 3,200 cases were logged in January this year alone. Delhi's stray dog population is estimated to be around 800,000. The Organising Committee of the IndianOil World Para Athletics Championships 2025 attributed the incident to individuals feeding stray dogs near the venue, which enabled animals to re-enter despite preventive measures a statement, the organisers said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had cleared the stadium premises of strays before the start of the tournament and stationed dog-catching vehicles at the venue.“Unfortunately, repeated feeding near the venue allowed strays back in, resulting in two isolated incidents on October 3 involving coaches from Japan and Kenya,” the committee said. Both coaches were treated on-site, taken to Safdarjung Hospital's Anti-Rabies Clinic, vaccinated, and later discharged to their hotels.

In response, the MCD has reinforced security with two permanent dog-catching teams inside the stadium and standby vehicles for immediate removal of strays. Still, stray dogs were seen later in the day, with one being chased away by guards from the mixed zone, where athletes interact with the media. The incident comes against the backdrop of Supreme Court orders on Delhi's stray dog population. In August, the SC directed all strays be moved to shelters and not returned to the streets, but later softened the ruling after protests, allowing dogs to return to their original areas post-sterilisation, vaccination, and deworming under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

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