CWG 2026: Cyclist Lisha Seeks Coach's Accreditation To Safeguard Medal Hopes

Sixteen-year-old Lisha Das, India's lone para cyclist for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, is fearing the possibility of missing the multi-sport event after her coach was not accredited while a Cycling Federation of India (CFI) official was instead designated to accompany her in Glasgow.

Lisha, who qualified for the Glasgow CWG through continental rankings in the women's C5 category, has written multiple e-mails to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), CFI, the Sports Secretary and the Union Sports Ministry seeking accreditation for her personal coach, Aditya Mehta.

The teenager, who has a deformity in her right hand, alleged that she was repeatedly asked to obtain a parental consent letter with CFI Executive Member K Dattatraya as her coach for the Games.

"Neither my parents, my coach nor I were ever informed that Mr K Dattatraya had been appointed as my accompanying official," she wrote in an e-mail in possession of PTI.

"I am a minor female para athlete. Mr K Dattatraya should not be designated as my accompanying official. I require a female escort and a medical support professional."

"Initially, I was repeatedly asked to sign a consent letter stating that Mr K Dattatraya would accompany me as my coach for the Commonwealth Games."

She said she declined to do so as Dattatraya was never his coach.

"The coach who has trained me throughout my journey and guided me to qualify for the Commonwealth Games is Mr Aditya Mehta.

"However, without my knowledge or consent, his name was never recommended," Lisha wrote in one of her e-mails.

She said that, being a minor athlete, she should be allowed to travel with the coach who understands both her sporting and medical requirements.

"Being a minor athlete, I have repeatedly requested to be accompanied by the coach who has trained me, understands my sporting and medical requirements, and has prepared me throughout this journey.

"Unfortunately, despite several representations, my genuine concerns have not been addressed," she wrote.

However, personal coaches have not been included by the Sports Ministry in the Indian contingent for the Glasgow CWG.

As reported by PTI in March this year, the ministry had made it clear that "demonstrable contribution" and "regular association" to an athlete's growth would be assessed in case of request for personal coaches but they would not be allowed over an above the sanctioned contingent even at no cost to government.

Lisha said Mehta was willing to bear his own expenses and was seeking only the accreditation required to accompany her in an official capacity.

"My coach is ready to travel entirely at his own expense. I am only requesting that he be granted accreditation so that he can accompany me in an official capacity," she said.

She alleged that the CFI recommended Dattatraya's name.

"The Cycling Federation of India recommended the name of Mr Dattatraya to the Paralympic Committee of India as my coach, despite the fact that he was not the coach who trained me or prepared me for qualification.

"This decision caused me immense distress and left me feeling unheard as an athlete," she wrote.

"If I am unable to participate with the coach who has prepared me, it will be extremely difficult for me and my family to proceed with confidence." CFI Secretary General Maninder Singh denied that the federation had recommended any coach's name.

"We have not given any name. The long list for the Commonwealth Games was sent by PCI and CFI doesn't have a role in that," he told PTI.

However, in an e-mail on Monday, CFI wrote that it had recommended a panel of three support staff members, including Mehta and Dattatraya.

"This is with reference to the trailing mail and our communication dated July 10, 2026, wherein it was submitted that Mr K Dattatraya was not recommended by the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) as the personal coach for Ms Lisha Das, a para-cyclist," the CFI wrote in an e-mail on Monday evening.

"However, we wish to clarify that in the long list of team support staff submitted by your esteemed office to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the following officials were recommended as team support staff: Mr Ramesh Pandi, Mr Aditya Jitendra Kumar Mehta and Mr Katkam Dattatraya," the CFI said in its response to the PCI in the e-mail which was also marked to the IOA.

The PCI, meanwhile, maintained that it merely forwarded the names received from the concerned National Sports Federation.

"CFI governs para cycling and IOA is leading the Commonwealth Games, so it's between them and the federation," PCI Secretary General Jayawant Gundu Hamanawar told PTI.