Middle East crisis: City icestock players return as flight cancelled

Five city icestock players had a disappointing Sunday as they returned from Mumbai as their flight to Germany via Abu Dabhi has been cancelled amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The Indian team was scheduled to go to Germany via Abu Dhabi for 61st European Youth Icestock Sport Championships 2026 to be held at Inzell, Germany, from March 2 to 8 the iconic Max Aicher Arena under the International Federation Icestocksport (IFI).

Five city players including Vidhi Chouksey, Vansh Somani, and Vivaan Zunzunwala (all three form Centre Point School Amravati by pass road ) along with two from Centre Point International School studens Shayan Jain and Atrij Gole. reached Mumbai on Saturday. Today when they reached to catch the flight to Abu Dhabi on Mumbai airport they came to know about the flight cancellation.

One player Vansh Somani talkintg to Lokmat Times said, “ We are sad as flight has been cancelled. We had prepared for this year for almost one year and all were very eager to deliver their best. We are very disappointed but now we will prepare better than this for next event”.

He said, “ It’s very upsetting because the players have been practicing regularly for the last one and a half years and were very excited. They tried their best. They also missed their final exams for this tournament.”

Chetan Khedikar, the head of sports department of CPS Amravaot road bypass said, “ as the flight has been cancelled, the players are returning to Nagpur in the evening. We don't know whether the event has been cancelled or not. ”.

He also said, “ It’s very upsetting because the players have been practicing regularly for the last one and a half years and were very excited. They tried their best. They also missed their final exams for this tournament.”

“From Nagpur, we landed in Mumbai on Sunday morning for our flight to Abu Dhabi and then Munich,” said Anshul Somani, father of a 13 year old participant. “We had an inkling we might be returning, but we still had hope. The airline informed us that rescheduling is not possible before the 5th. We have no choice but to go back.”