Sports lovers, mostly from Odisha, are unlikely to witness performance of players from Pakistan even as more than 800 athletes from 45 countries would take part in the Asian Athletics Championships to be held at the Kalinga Stadium here.
The event is being organised for the third time in India after New Delhi (1989) and Pune (2013).
Pakistani athletes had taken part in the 2013 championships.
While the players from different countries have started arriving here, Pakistan's participation remains uncertain as the Government is yet to clear the visas of its contingent.
Meanwhile, the deadline of making final entry of athletes has ended on June 20.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has been awaiting a response from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs on the issue of Pakistan’s participation. The AFI has already invited Pakistan for the championships; and Pakistan has also sent their entries’ lists.
Though India played with Pakistani teams in cricket and hockey though outside the country, the Centre is yet to take a decision on Pakistan’s participation in the athletics meet reportedly due to a worsening relation between the two countries.
Pakistan could not take part in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bhubaneswar and the Asian Snooker Championships in Chennai last month as their players could not get visas.
last December, the Pakistan hockey team was not granted visas for the FIH Junior World Cup in lucknow. India has also refused to play bilateral cricket with Pakistan. India's Sports Minister has even said, "Terrorism and sports can't go along, and Pakistan should understand that."
The Odisha Government, which is organising the athletics championships, has spent Rs 59 crore for preparations of the event.
As many as 168 India athletes would take part in the event while China and Japan would send 96 and 78 players, respectively.