FACTBOX: How the Middle East crisis has affected sporting events and athletes

The U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran has led to sporting events being postponed in the region, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruption, with thousands of flights cancelled in some of the world's busiest transit hubs.

ATHLETES' ARRIVALS AT PARALYMPIC GAMES DISRUPTED

The International Paralympic Committee said it is working to find solutions after several athletes were finding it difficult to travel to the Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games due to travel disruption at several Middle Eastern airports.

"The closure of airspace in the Middle East is impacting the arrival of some stakeholders... We are working diligently with Milano Cortina 2026 to find solutions for those affected," the IPC said on Tuesday.

TENNIS IN UAE HALTED DUE TO SECURITY ALERT

The ATP Challenger event in Fujairah was cancelled due to safety concerns after a security alert halted play.

The ATP Tour later said a charter flight had been arranged, "fully funded by the ATP to assist with departures from the region at no cost to players".

IRANIAN FEMALE FOOTBALLERS GIVEN ASYLUM BY AUSTRALIA GOV'T

Australia on Tuesday granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women soccer players after they sought asylum, fearing persecution on their return home for their refusal to sing the national anthem at an Asia Cup match.

Australian police helped two more members of the Iranian women's soccer delegation slip their minders to claim asylum on Wednesday, but one changed her mind and decided to go back to Iran, Australia's interior minister said on Wednesday.

Concerns about the players' safety upon their return home grew after Iranian state television labelled the team "wartime traitors".

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the rest of the players have been moved to a safe location after the member who reversed their decision contacted the Iranian embassy, giving away their location.

U.S. WITHDRAWS FROM HOCKEY WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

The U.S. men's hockey team withdrew from a hockey World Cup 2026 qualifier in Ismailia, Egypt, after an official advisory from the State Department urging all U.S. citizens to leave nations within or close to conflict zones.

The International Hockey Federation said the U.S. team had withdrawn with the body's "full support" and the team departed Egypt earlier on Wednesday.

SPORTS EVENTS CANCELLED IN IRAN, SOCCER RESUMES IN QATAR

All sporting events in Iran have been cancelled until further notice, including the country's top-flight Persian Gulf Pro League. The Bahraini FA has also halted all domestic competitions.

Qatar's top-flight football league will resume this week after a nationwide suspension of sporting activity imposed amid regional security concerns, the Qatar Stars League Foundation said on Monday.

The league will return with fixtures on Thursday and Friday, QSL said.

Qatar halted all sports competitions on March 1 after Iranian missile and drone strikes on U.S. assets in the country prompted authorities to close its airspace. An update is awaited on the clash between Spain and Argentina set for Doha on March 27.

IRAQ COACH CALLS FOR WC PLAYOFF FIXTURE TO BE POSTPONED

Iraq soccer coach Graham Arnold has called for the team's inter-confederation World Cup playoff in Mexico later this month to be postponed amidst the travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran.

The Iraqis are concerned they might not be able to get their players and staff over to Mexico for their scheduled clash with either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31 because of travel lockdown in the Middle East.

Arnold said putting together a team solely with players based outside Iraq would hinder the country's chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES POSTPONED

Round of 16 clashes featuring Middle Eastern clubs in the Asian Champions League Elite in the first two weeks of March have been postponed.

Next week's quarter-final clashes in the Asian Champions League Two and the Asian Challenge League featuring clubs from the region are also postponed, AFC, the continental soccer body, said on Wednesday.

AFGHANISTAN VS SRI LANKA SERIES POSTPONED

The limited-overs series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka scheduled for March in the United Arab Emirates has been postponed due to the crisis in the Middle East, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday.

The teams were due to play three Twenty20s in Sharjah and three One-Day Internationals in Dubai from March 13 to March 25.

TENNIS PLAYERS MEDVEDEV, RUBLEV STUCK IN DUBAI

Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who participated in the Dubai Tennis Championships last week, were among players facing travel difficulties in reaching California for the Indian Wells Open.

The ATP Tour on Wednesday said the vast majority of players who were in Dubai had departed on selected flights.

WEC POSTPONES SEASON OPENER IN QATAR

The World Endurance Championship postponed its season-opening race scheduled for March 28 at the Lusail circuit in Qatar, until later this year.

"A new date for the Qatar 1812 km during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in due course," the WEC said in a statement.

MIDDLE EASTERN F1 RACES HANG IN THE BALANCE

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who heads global motorsport governing body FIA, said safety will be the main concern when taking a decision on next month's Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

"Safety and wellbeing will guide our decisions as we assess the forthcoming events scheduled there for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the FIA Formula One world championship," he said on Monday.

SINDHU WITHDRAWS FROM BADMINTON'S ALL ENGLAND OPEN

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu withdrew from the All England Open after being stranded for days at Dubai airport. She returned to India on Tuesday.

"Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I'm truly grateful to be back to my house," Sindhu wrote on X.

-Chiranjit Ojha, Rohith Nair and Karan Prashant Saxena/Reuters