Olympian Arif Khan Urges India To Create Full-Season Winter Sports Facility

NEW DELHI -Two-time Olympian Arif Mohammad Khan has is urging the Union sports ministry to develop world-class infrastructure on the slopes of Gulmarg to help Indian athletes prepare for international winter sports competitions.

The 36-year-old recently made history for India at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, where he competed in the men’s slalom race and finished 39th. His performance improved India’s previous best result in the event by 10 places. The earlier record had been set by Kishore Ratna Rai at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

The Alpine skier from Jammu & Kashmir emphasized that India requires at least one fully developed facility at Gulmarg capable of hosting training and competitions for a full season of around five months, extending until the end of April. According to him, such infrastructure would play a key role in preparing Indian skiers for global events.

Reflecting on his Olympic performance, Arif said his finish in the giant slalom had helped place India firmly on the global skiing map and stressed the need for further investment in winter sports to achieve success at the continental level.

Since 2020, Gulmarg in Jammu & Kashmir has hosted all six editions of the Khelo India Winter Games, while Leh in Ladakh has been hosting the ice events since 2024.

“We have the athletes, and there are ones who can be better than me. But we are missing infrastructure, coaches and funding. Given the government’s intention to develop winter sports, I can see better things in the future. We need at least one fully-developed infrastructure in Gulmarg that can function for a good five months,” said Arif.

He also stressed the need for a national federation dedicated to addressing the requirements of winter sports athletes.

“There are a lot of talented athletes in the hilly states and Union Territories. Some skiers are also emerging from South India, but the availability of year-round facilities is a major handicap. At least, skating has all-weather facilities in Dehradun and Leh, and Gulmarg can be a priority now,” Arif concluded. (IANS)