Delhi blast puts off cycling race

Pakistan squad told not to come as event is postponed.

LAHORE: Two days after Pakistan cyclists were permitted to take part in the Tour de Delhi, the event has been put off for an indefinite period following a bomb blast in the Indian capital that left at least 11 dead and injured several others.

An eight-member Pakistan squad was set to travel to India tomorrow but have now been told to stay put by the Cycling Federation of India (CFI). The CFI Secretary Onkar Singh confirmed that the Tour de Delhi race has been postponed until a new date is finalised.

“It’s really unfortunate,” Singh told The Express Tribune. “This awful incident here has led us to postpone our event. The government has withdrawn its permission for next week and after that we’ll come up with a new date with Pakistan’s participation remaining intact.”

Idrees Haider Khawaja, the Pakistan Cycling Federation Secretary, said the squad had prepared well for the event.

“It’s indeed sad as we have spent a lot of money in preparation for the race,”  said Khawaja. “It all went in vain but we have another race coming up in Syria for which we are sending our top four cyclists later this month.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th,  2011.