Visa Delays Risk Indian Cadet Wrestling Team's U17 World Championship Participation

New Delhi, July 22 (PTI): The Indian cadet wrestling teams face the risk of missing the prestigious U17 World Championship in Athens, which is set to begin on July 28. The 47-member contingent, which was scheduled to depart on Saturday, is still awaiting a response to their visa appointment request from the Greek embassy. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) initially requested appointments on July 10, but 12 days have passed without a favorable response. After six days of silence following their request, the WFI reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on July 16 for intervention. Of the 47-member Indian contingent, there are 30 wrestlers who earned their spots on the national team through selection trials conducted by the WFI on July 7 and 8 in Delhi and Lucknow.

WFI President Sanjay Singh expressed the urgency of the situation: "The Federation had to seek the intervention of the MEA and the Home Ministry after its numerous requests did not receive a positive response from the Greek embassy. The tickets have been booked and the players are prepared. The exposure for these young athletes is crucial for their development, and missing the World Championship would be a setback. It's Tuesday now, and we remain hopeful for a response."

An unnamed WFI official commented on the unusual delay: "In the past, we have received visas from the Greek embassy within four days, but this time there seems to be an inexplicable delay. Recently, our wrestler Harshita obtained a Schengen visa from the Hungarian embassy in just one day. It's unclear why the Greek embassy is delaying it this time."

The Indian squad features several strong contenders, including Asian Championship gold medallists Rachna Parmar (43kg), Moni (57kg), Ashvini Vaishno (65kg), and Manisha (69kg). These athletes are expected to perform well in Athens.

Further complicating the situation, United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic has reached out to the Hellenic Olympic Committee seeking urgent intervention. In his letter, Lalovic highlighted that both the Iranian and Indian delegations are facing challenges and delays in obtaining their Schengen visas, despite following the necessary application procedures. He requested the committee's support in expediting the process to secure visas for all participating athletes and officials in time.

A note on the Greek embassy's website advises that due to the current situation, the processing time for visa applications is 15 working days, as per instructions from the Greek Embassy in New Delhi. This period may be extended further. The website adds that applicants submitting their applications at Visa Application Centres in India, other than the one in New Delhi, should account for an additional 5 days to their minimum processing time, since applications must be dispatched to the Visa Application Centre in New Delhi before being forwarded to the Embassy's Consular Office.

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