India’s swimming season has hit an unexpected roadblock even before it could fully begin, with visa delays putting several top athletes at risk of missing a key international competition.
A group of Indian swimmers, including four Asian Games probables, are still awaiting their Singapore visas just days before the Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships 2026, scheduled from March 17 to 22 at the OCBC Aquatic Centre. While the rest of the contingent has already reached Singapore to begin acclimatization, a handful of swimmers and support staff remain stranded in India.
Among those affected are national record holder Srihari Natraj, Rohit Benedicton, Anish Gowda, along with promising swimmers Aditya Dinesh and Anand A.S. The delays have disrupted travel plans and forced athletes to reconsider their participation in what is an important early-season competition.
“Six people from our team haven’t received their visas. Four swimmers, one physio and a coach. We were supposed to leave on Friday (March 13), but everyone’s visa was delayed a little more than usual,” Srihari said. “Surprisingly, my mom’s visa came at about 7:50 pm, a day before we were supposed to depart,” the 25-year-old said.
Srihari, who was scheduled to take the 11:50 am flight on March 14, is now uncertain about making the trip in time for his events. With races beginning on March 17, the tight turnaround has made participation a difficult call.
“I’ll decide about rebooking depending on whether it still makes sense for me to go. My first event is on Tuesday (March 17), and if the visa arrives on Monday, I’ll have to go straight to the pool without proper sleep. So I’ll have to take a call on whether it’s worth going once the visa arrives,” he said.
The two-time Olympian has entered five events – the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, along with the 50m and 100m freestyle, at a meet that is crucial for assessing performance ahead of major multi-sport events. The Singapore competition serves as a qualification pathway for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
India’s last major outing was at the Asian Aquatics Championships 2025 in Ahmedabad, where the team secured 13 medals, including four silver and nine bronze. Srihari himself stood out with a seven-medal haul.
“This meet was supposed to be my first tournament of the season. Competitions like this usually give us clarity about what changes are needed in training, especially when we’re trying to get closer to Asian Games or Commonwealth Games medal timings,” the two-time Olympian said. “I’m someone who usually completes a lot, but in India, we don’t always get pushed in races.
There’s a backstroker faster than me in this meet, and another swimmer from Chinese Taipei as well. It would have been a good opportunity to race against stronger competition. Also, I wouldn’t want my next competition to be directly in May after a six-month gap from my last meet,” he added.
The uncertainty surrounding the Singapore event is further compounded by limited alternatives. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have made participation in the Dubai Open unlikely, leaving swimmers to consider the Malaysian Open in April or the Senior National Championships in May.
“I personally do not prefer racing in Malaysia. It’s hot and humid, and I tend to struggle in those conditions. Once, I even ended up with bleeding fingers while putting on a racing suit. But if Malaysia ends up being the only viable option, then I might still compete there if I miss the Singapore tournament,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rohit Benedicton remains optimistic about making it in time, with his events scheduled later in the meet. “It’s disappointing because we had trained with this competition in mind. Singapore was planned to help us understand where we stand at this stage of the season and identify areas we need to improve. That would have given us enough time to make corrections before the Senior Nationals, which will be crucial for Asian Games and Commonwealth Games selections,” Rohit said.
“I’m still hoping the visa comes through. I might still be able to travel because my events (50 freestyle, 50 butterfly) are on the last few days of the meet,” he added.
