KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode district administration’s decision to abruptly cancel the competitive events of the 12th Malabar River Festival has triggered an unprecedented backlash from international kayakers, race officials and Indian competitors, who accuse the authorities of calling off Asia’s premier white-water event without a technical assessment of river conditions.
Besides the financial implications involved, several athletes said the move has robbed them of a rare international sporting opportunity and dented Kerala’s credibility as a global adventure sports destination. Many questioned why an international competition was scrapped over safety concerns while commercial rafting was allowed to continue in the same river system.
The festival was scheduled on the Chalipuzha and Iruvanjipuzha rivers from July 30 to August 2, 2026. It had drawn around 70 national and international kayakers, including 32 elite athletes, from New Zealand, Italy, Russia, Malaysia, Nepal and the Czech Republic, besides competitors from Karnataka, Ladakh, Meghalaya and Kerala.
The district administration cancelled the competition on August 1 citing heavy rain and safety concerns. Athletes and organisers, however, have challenged the decision, pointing out that commercial rafting for tourists continued during the period. They argue that this raises serious questions over the consistency and credibility of the administration’s safety assessment.
Many int’l athletes suffered heavy financial losses, says race director
“We travelled to Kerala after months of preparation and invested significant money to compete here. If the river is considered unsafe for trained athletes, it is difficult to understand how commercial rafting for the public was allowed to continue in the same waters,” a foreign participant told TNIE.
For Indian athletes, the cancellation meant more than the loss of a competition.
The Malabar River Festival was a qualifier for the national selection camp ahead of the upcoming National Games, leaving several competitors deprived of a crucial opportunity to advance in the selection process.
Race director Malik Taneja sharply criticised the way the event was called off, alleging that the district administration cancelled the competition without consulting the technical team responsible for assessing river conditions and ensuring safety.
“I have been associated with this race since its inception. We are deeply disappointed by the way the Kozhikode district administration handled the situation. The event was cancelled without a site inspection or any consultation with our team, including the safety director,” Malik said.
He further alleged that the district collector’s cancellation order cited a red alert on August 2 even though Kozhikode was under a yellow alert that day.
“We invited elite athletes from across the world, many of whom suffered heavy financial losses because of the cancellation. Our team included internationally certified kayakers and safety experts, who assessed that the river was safe for racing. We reviewed the weather forecast and were told an inspection team would visit the venue, but no one turned up,” he said.
Malik said the festival had strengthened local disaster preparedness by training Fire and Rescue Services personnel and disaster management officials in white-water rescue techniques. However, he alleged that these efforts were ignored when the decision to cancel the event was taken.
Dayla Ward, a professional kayaker from New Zealand, expressed sympathy for families affected by the floods, saying the loss of lives and homes was a “huge tragedy.” “I can understand why the government may have considered it unsafe,” she said.
“But, from the perspective of a competitor and professional kayaker, the river was perfectly safe for racing on the scheduled day. The water level had dropped to a very manageable flow. Had there been no recent floods, nobody would have hesitated to conduct the race. That is what made the cancellation so disappointing,” Dayla said.
Dayla said she spent about USD 2,200 on flights, received only USD 600 in travel support, missed two weeks of work, and incurred additional expenses on accommodation, transport and kayak rental.
“I was heavily relying on the prize money to help cover the cost of this trip,” she said. Athletes insist the issue is not the government’s decision to prioritise public safety, but the manner in which it was taken. They argue that the district administration should have conducted a site inspection and consulted technical experts before calling off an international competition that had attracted participants from across the world.
The cancellation has also cast a shadow over Kerala’s credibility as a host of international adventure sports events. Several athletes said they would seek clearer assurances on safety protocols and administrative decision-making before committing to future competitions in the state.
However, the district administration maintained that the decision was a precautionary measure taken in view of heavy rainfall, rising river levels and public safety, insisting that it could not risk lives by allowing the competition to go ahead.