It is a blow to International Cricket for the Blind for sure. George, many of these cricketers have traveled earlier too. There seem to be very less possibilities of denying visas due to documentation problems, else they would have been highlighted as a defence by them.
I don't know the rules of the Council as to what happens if the defending champions are not able to attend due to such situations. I also don't know whether it is too late for the Council to plan another neutral location like Singapore etc! regards Subhash Vashishth 2009/8/17 George Abraham <geo...@eyeway.org> > This is most unfortunate. Filling in of visa application to countries like > the UK and US are quite challenging. It is quite possible that the > Pakistani > blind cricketers may not have put in all the documentation that is > needed. > It is difficult for us to to pass a judgement on this. > > Regards, > > George > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "sandesh" <sandeshnaray...@nerdshack.com> > To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> > Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 2:50 PM > Subject: [AI] Pakistan blind cricketers denied UK visa > > > Pakistan blind cricketers denied UK visa > > By Aleem Maqbool > BBC News, Islamabad > > > > Pakistan's cricketers are worried they will not be able to defend their > title > Earlier this week it was members of a pipe band from Pakistan that were > denied visas to travel to Britain, now it is the country's blind cricket > team. > > Pakistan's blind cricketers are the reigning world champions. The squad > members have just finished attending a nine-day training camp, ahead of > what > was supposed to be a four-match UK tour (on the invitation of Blind Cricket > England and Wales). > > But the team's visa applications have been rejected. > > The UK Border Agency says it did not have sufficient evidence to be > convinced the players would return to Pakistan once the tour was over. > > 'Hurt and insulted' > > Sitting in his Islamabad home, beside a table packed with sporting > trophies, > is the chairman of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, and former blind > cricket captain Syed Sultan Shah. > > > It feels like we are being denied our rights > > Syed Sultan Shah, Chairman of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council > He says he is stunned by the decision: "We provided letters from our > council, and from the Pakistan Cricket Board, who confirmed they would > cover > all costs," he says. > > "The English Cricket Board supplied our names and passport numbers. The > Pakistan ministry of sport gave us official leave to travel. We all signed > affidavits to say we would return, and if we did not, our families would be > penalised. What more could we do? > > "When we toured the UK in 2002 and 2006, nobody stayed behind. We just want > to play cricket." > > Mr Shah says the players had all taken leave from work, and that hundreds > of > thousands of rupees (thousands of pounds) had been spent on the training > camp, new kit and on the visa applications themselves. > > "But it's not the money. It feels like we are being denied our rights. We > are all very hurt, very disturbed and feel very insulted by this," he says. > > No apology > > The UK Border Agency insists its ruling is justified. > > "We will make no apology for maintaining tough border controls created to > prevent abuse of the immigration system," it states. > > "If applications do not contain the necessary evidence and we are not > satisfied individuals will return at the end of their visit their visas > will > be refused." > > The statement adds that "UKBA is committed to facilitating sporting, > cultural and arts exchanges". > > Eighteen of the 21 Pakistani players and officials that applied to travel, > including the manager and assistant manager, are totally or partially > blind. > > Many were part of the team that won the World Cup on home soil in 2006, at > a > tournament in which England also competed. > > "As a blind person, playing cricket changed my life," says Mr Shah. "I > can't > tell you how much confidence it gives us, and what it took to win the World > Cup." > > "But this has really been a big blow. And we are worried we won't be able > to > defend our title in the future." > > The next World Cup is scheduled to be held in England. > > > > > > > > To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.inwith > the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > > > To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.inwith > the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > -- Warm regards, Subhash Chandra Vashishth Mobile: +91 (11) 9811125521 Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. Consider environment! To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. 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