‘Don’t feel any measures have been taken,’ says Kenyan coach after dog bite incident at World Para Athletics Championships

A day after being bitten by a stray dog during training at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kenyan coach Dennis Maragia has spoken out about the incident, saying he still feels unsafe despite assurances from organisers.

The incident took place on Friday near the warm-up track of the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships. A Japanese coach was also bitten in a separate incident the same day.

“After being bitten by the dog, I was rushed to the hospital. I got injected, and now I am fine,” Maragia said.

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“We were doing a warm-up and practice. I didn’t notice the dog because it came from behind, but I felt something holding my leg — it was painful. It was a dog holding my leg.” Maragia expressed concern over continued sightings of stray dogs at the venue.

“Even after what happened yesterday, I don’t feel any measures have been taken or the dogs have been moved. I just saw a dog passing by,” he said.

“I requested them to move the dogs. I couldn’t go back to Kenya; I had to take medications. You are in fear once something like that happens to you — you have to have that fear,” he added.

The organisers later stated that two dog-catching teams have been permanently deployed at the venue in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The affected coaches were given immediate medical attention and are out of danger.

Published on Oct 04, 2025