Spain rejects visa of 21 Indian wrestlers for U-23 world championships, embassy doubts ‘intention to depart territory’

Twenty-one Indian wrestlers, chosen to participate within the U-23 wrestling world championships in Spain, is not going to make it to the match as a result of their visa functions have been rejected.

The Spanish Embassy in India rejected the visa utility of the 21 Indian wrestlers and cleared solely 9. Within the refusal of visa letter despatched by the Spanish Embassy to the 21 gamers, signed by the Head of the consular part, the rationale has been given as: “There's a affordable doubt as to your intention to depart the territory of the Member States earlier than the expiry of the visa.”

India shall be pressured to discipline a drastically depleted crew on the earth championships in Pontevedra, which started on Monday. Indian officers are hopeful a number of the wrestlers will nonetheless make it if the choice adjustments, however for now, a number of of India’s high medal prospects, together with Antim Phogat, are prone to miss out on collaborating within the occasion.  

Antim, created historical past this 12 months when she grew to become the primary Indian lady’s wrestler to win a gold medal within the junior world championships within the 53 kg weight class. Other than Antim’s weight class, India is not going to have girls competing in seven extra classes — 55kg, 57kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, 72kg and 76kg — due to the visa utility rejection. Within the males’s freestyle, 9 wrestlers (61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 79kg, 86kg, 92kg, 97kg, 125kg) and 4 Greco Roman wrestlers (55kg, 63kg, 97kg and 130kg) have additionally not been issued visas to fly to Spain.

Other than the gamers, numerous coaches together with Dronacharya awardee Mahavir Prasad and Arjuna awardee Alka Tomar have additionally not been issued visas by the embassy.

“This has by no means occurred earlier than in our sports activities historical past,” stated Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) secretary Vinod Tomar. “We had utilized for the visa and submitted their passports to the Spanish embassy on the 4th of October. Whereas the visas for a number of gamers got here via, we obtained the rejection letters of the remaining athletes on Monday,” stated Tomar.

The Spanish Embassy in India rejected the visa utility of the 21 Indian wrestlers and cleared solely 9.  | Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

“That is absurd. Our gamers aren’t going for tourism or sightseeing. They'll compete at a world championships. Antim Tomar isn’t an unknown wrestler. She is a world champion. Mahavir Prasad and Alka Tomar are senior coaches as properly. They've been invited by the UWW (United World Wrestling). Their journey has been sanctioned by the Authorities of India and their tickets have been paid for by the federal government, ” stated Tomar.

In keeping with Tomar, the WFI will write to the worldwide governing physique of the game, UWW, to not award internet hosting rights for main tournaments to Spain.

The WFI, nevertheless, is hopeful that ought to the visas for the lads’s freestyle occasion — to be held from October 20 October 23 — come via, a crew is perhaps despatched.