US camp for Indian boxers in doubt over visa issue

NEW DELHI: Back home after a terrific show at the Gold Coast Games, some Indian boxers got a rude shock on Tuesday. They were told that the US embassy in Delhi had turned down their visa requests to train at the famous Michael Johnson Academy in Texas ahead of World Championships and Asian Games. The embassy didn’t grant visa to women boxers L Sarita Devi (60kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and male pugilist Amit Panghal because of adequate documentation.While Sarita and Lovlina lost in the quarterfinals at the CWG, Amit won a silver medal in the 49kg category.
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The rejection of visa by the embassy has thrown a spanner in the Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) plan to organise an 18-day long strength and conditioning camp from May 1-18 at the academy. A total of 22 men and women boxers, including the pugilists who participated in the CWG, have been identified by the BFI to attend the camp. The academy visit was part of the BFI’s several exposure trips which they have planned over the coming months, keeping the boxers’ World championships and Asian Games preparations in mind. This is the same academy where Sachin Tendulkar underwent rehabilitation following a surgery on his tennis elbow.
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According to a BFI source, all the three boxers whose visas have been rejected have been told by the embassy to submit the required documents in order to reconsider their application, which could now mean a delay of some weeks in processing of their visa.
“Their visa form showed ‘application incomplete’. The boxers had letters from the BFI, sports ministry and SAI to attend the camp, but the embassy officials needed some other important documents. Let’s see if the boxers can get their visas done on time once the required papers are submitted,” the source said.
The boxers have been visiting the embassy for the interview process in batches. According to a BFI official, while a handful of boxers have already received their visas, a majority would be visiting the embassy in different batches soon. The BFI fears that if the embassy turns down the applications of some more boxers, it could lead to a postponement in organizing the camp or they would have to look for an academy in another country.
The BFI will also be sending its boxers to Serbia and France for invitational meets.