No flu on our watch’: Dr. Pardiwala details India’s health shield at Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala outlined Team India’s preventative health strategy at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, introducing strict weather protections, recovery hardware, and hygiene measures to safeguard athletes against flu outbreaks

Glasgow: As wet weather and cold temperatures settle over the 2026 Commonwealth Games, India’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, has issued a strict health advisory to the Indian contingent.

Since upper respiratory infections present a continual threat at major international events, Dr. Pardiwala stressed that strict personal hygiene and preventive care should form India’s first line of defence against possible flu outbreaks.

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Navigating chilly Scottish conditions is one of the primary hurdles for athletes arriving from warmer climates. To prevent illness before competition even begins, the medical team implemented firm protocols around outdoor exposure and ceremonial duties.

“The weather is cold and it is raining. So the advice is primarily to just protect yourselves, don’t get wet and we are making sure that each of the athletes who doesn’t need to be out, doesn’t need to be out. So try and protect them as far as possible,” Dr. Pardiwala told IANS.

“So therefore even in the opening ceremony we made sure that none of the athletes who were participating immediately afterwards were part of the opening ceremony. We don’t want to land up with colds and flus etc. just before participation.”

Preventing illness across a multi-sport contingent requires daily vigilance. According to Dr. Pardiwala, simple habits remain the most effective shield against viral spreads in shared athlete facilities.

“Just simple health and hygiene, making sure that everyone is keeping their hands clean and hand hygiene is being followed and that is the best way I think to just prevent any outbreak amongst the teams,” he noted. “We get a morning update everyday amongst the Chief Medical Officers of the contingents and fortunately we don’t have any outbreak of any flu or any colds and coughs amongst any of the contingents right now. So that is a good sign and we hope that it continues that way.”

“In most large continental events, usually it is the upper respiratory tract infections that is the biggest blow to athletes performing at their best and fortunately this time it is under control.”

To ensure athletes maintain peak physical condition, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) established an independent, fully equipped sports science and recovery facility directly at the games village.

“You know whenever you have got a large contingent going out for the Olympics or the Asian Games or Commonwealth Games, you need sports science, you need injury management, you need preparation recovery services for the athletes. So what the Indian Olympic Association has done this time again… we have set up a recovery room here for all of our athletes. So all of our athletes will be supported by world class recovery and preparation before their events,” Dr. Pardiwala said.

To avoid potential delays in local healthcare systems, the team brought specialized recovery hardware and medical supplies directly from India.

“We have got a whole load of equipment from India for that purpose and these are the things that we would normally use for most athletes. So compression, cryo-compression, all of the physiotherapy means and besides that just to make sure that we are autonomous and we have easy access to medicines… we have got all of our medicines and all of our requirements so that if anyone has any sort of medical problem, we can take care of it.”

Addressing queries regarding athlete readiness, Dr. Pardiwala clarified that fitness tracking is an ongoing, multi-layered responsibility carried out long before athletes reach the competition site.

“There is a constant process of fitness assessment. This is of course not done by the IOA medical team, this is done by the federations, the coaches, the physios, any athlete coming in really needs to be fit if they are going to be representing their country. So this is done by the federations to make sure that the fittest athletes do come in for competition.”

“Injuries are going to take place all the time but if it is something minor which can be managed then that is great. If it is something significant which can’t be managed then unfortunately that athlete is going to be unfit for competition.”

Beyond physical treatments, establishing a sense of security plays a critical role in mental preparation. Dr. Pardiwala highlighted the strong support network behind the contingent—involving the Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the IOA.

“To be quite honest we are getting a fabulous amount of support from not just the sports ministry but Sports Authority of India and our Target Olympic Podium Scheme, the TOPS and of course IOA. So I think the support that we need is to make sure that our athletes have the best opportunity to perform, that’s number one.”

Ultimately, having immediate, accessible care removes anxiety, leaving athletes free to focus entirely on their performance.

“What we have heard from many of our athletes over the years is that the fear that if they get injured what is going to happen to them… just to have that insurance, that safety blanket there knowing that ‘Look, I have got a team that is looking out for me. If I do get injured I am going to be taken care of, if it is a minor injury I am going to be taken care of and I will be back on the field the next day.’ I think that itself is self reassurance and I think that gives them the confidence that they can do their best.”