Including Korean coach Chae Wom Lim.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: The Junior Indian Archery team that longed to participate in World Youth Archery Championship in the US has been disillusioned after the US Embassy in Delhi denied visa for 20 members, including renowned Korean coach Chae Wom Lim.
The junior Indian Archery team, comprising of boys and girls, are scheduled to leave for the US on Saturday for the championship which will be held on June 8-14 in Yankton, South Dakota.
Unfortunately, the Delhi embassy granted visa only for seven archers, two coaches and a Sports Authority of India official and rejected the visa applications of the rest of the team members and coaches, casting a shadow over India’s participation in the championship.
The other coaches who were denied visas include Mim Bahadur Gurung, Chandra Shekhar Laguri, Ram Awdesh and masseuse Pinki.
According to Virendra Sachdeva, the Archery Association of India treasurer, the embassy denied visa for the players because of their poor performance in the face to face interview. He also said that the embassy authorities had a suspicion about the individuals not returning back after the completion of the championship.
Sachdeva was quoted by The Times of India saying “It is really a shocking incident. Most of the archers are from lower strata and hail from states like Assam, Jharkhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Most of them are not well versed in English and hence lack in communication. When the visa officer asked them what they do for living, they simply said we are archers and play archery.”
He also added, “This might have raised doubts in the minds of the visa officer, resulting in refusal of visa. But I don’t understand why Lim was denied because he is a known figure in world archery and has traveled worldwide.”
According to Sachdeva, the new about the visa denial is shocking because the team had received the sanction of Government of India and the invitation from the US Archery Association to attend the championship.
He said that the Archery Association of India (AAI)had approached the Minister of External Affairs and the Sports Ministry, but they couldn’t do much to overturn the decision of the US embassy.
The US Archery Association had advised AAI to reapply for the visa.
“We have re-applied by submitting new visa fees, but we are not sure whether the issue will be solved by tomorrow. If not the three months of practice which these young archers have undergone staying away from their home will be of no use,” the AAI official said.