Blind Pakistan cricketers denied visas to Britain

[TaNk]

Pakistan's blind cricket team, the reigning world champions, have been denied visas to travel to Britain. The team were due to play four matches on a tour of the UK, on the invitation of Blind Cricket England and Wales, but the UK border agency told the BBC that they didn't have sufficient evidence to be sure the players would return to Pakistan on completion of the tour. "We provided letters from our council, and from the Pakistan Cricket Board, who confirmed they would cover all costs," Syed Sultan Shah, the chairman of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, told the BBC. "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." The players, all amateurs, had all taken leave from their jobs, and spent a considerable amount of money on a recent training camp. "But it's not the money," Shah said. "It feels like we are being denied our rights. We are all very hurt, very disturbed and feel very insulted by this." The UK Border Agency, however, were adamant that the decisions made were in the best interests of the security of the country. "We will make no apology for maintaining tough border controls created to prevent abuse of the immigration system," the agency said in a statement. "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."

[TaNk]

Wired .. Blind Cricket :two_thumbs_up:

[DomainK]

Isn't that where they plan to play some of the home matches? This must be the first time a team was denied visa to play home matches.

[Mr. Wicket]

Isn't that where they plan to play some of the home matches? This must be the first time a team was denied visa to play home matches.

Irrelevant. If you apply for a visa to a foreign country, you're expected to provide certain details. For just about any trip to the UK you need documentation of proof of residency abroad, proof of return (e.g. a plane ticket) and a certain level of funds to cover lodging/etc. In almost all cases when those are provided the visas are granted. If these players didn't show they have the minimum level of money on hand or clear evidence of returning then no surprise.

[The Outsider]

"We provided letters from our council, and from the Pakistan Cricket Board, who confirmed they would cover all costs," Syed Sultan Shah, the chairman of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, told the BBC. "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."

If all of the above is indeed true, it's pretty dumb on England's part to deny them visas. But then again immigration services have their own minds!

[Mr. Wicket]

"We all signed affidavits to say we would return, and if we did not, our families would be penalised" I don't see how this holds up. In most places they require proof of a return ticket, not proof that someone will 'penalise' a family.

[The Outsider]

"We all signed affidavits to say we would return, and if we did not, our families would be penalised" I don't see how this holds up. In most places they require proof of a return ticket, not proof that someone will 'penalise' a family.

I am sure they would have return tickets. Even someone who does not intend on coming back would buy a return ticket.

[Mr. Wicket]

That's what doesn't make sense - if you have a return ticket, then the embassy/consulate handling the visa app only looks at that and doesn't bother with an affidavit. I've travelled a fair bit overseas and gone through this visa application crap too many times - and this is the first time I've heard of someone providing an affidavit to say they'd return. Have never heard of any embassy requiring that to be shown instead of a return ticket - just makes me think that something like a return ticket (or some other integral part of the app) was missing and they stuck that in instead.

[DomainK]

I am sure there must be a valid reason. They have gone there before to play matches. Why would they just randomly refuse entry?

[siddhu]

another crown in super competent PCB if they sent these cricketers without a return ticket.

[yoda]

This is absurd. They are ****ing blind. Cut them some slack you morons!

[Ram]

I think more than a handful of Indian boxers have deserted their squad to continue living in the UK, when they went there for the Commonwealth games.

[siddhu]

This is absurd. They are ****ing blind. Cut them some slack you morons!

Ok... let me rephrase... another crown for super competent PCB , if they sent these cricketers without a return ticket (proper documentation).

[Desi Cartman]

yes a lot players from africa, sub continent and South America never returned from Australia after last commonwealth games.

[Jai Ho]

This is absurd. They are ****ing blind. Cut them some slack you morons!

agree, this is unspeakable behavior.

[mhr123]

I remember last time i was travelling to N Africa with my wife , I had a transit in Bahrain for more than 24 hrs. I was given a Hotel and they gave me temprory 48 hrs visa . A lot of bangladeshis were also having a 24 hrs transit but they were denied the hotel ,as Bahrain govt. had banned all the bangladeshis temproray visas because they misuse it . Most of these bangladeshies working there are working w/o Permit.

[Mamu]

I am sure they would have return tickets. Even someone who does not intend on coming back would buy a return ticket.

To begni with -- Issuance of Visa is dependent on the whims and fancies of the immigration officer. He can deny it for any reason -- and there is no law against it. More than likely -- these Blind Cricketers were denied a visa because of a certain great nation they are associated with -- who residents have been creating havoc in Britain !

[DomainK]

To begni with -- Issuance of Visa is dependent on the whims and fancies of the immigration officer. He can deny it for any reason -- and there is no law against it. More than likely -- these Blind Cricketers were denied a visa because of a certain great nation they are associated with -- who residents have been creating havoc in Britain !

I don't think an immigration officer can get away with this kind of ****. If he is stopping a team from playing a tournament, he will have to answer to someone.

[Ram]

I can understand if Britain denied visas to the Pakistani kabbadi team or squash team,(Young men and women who’d have excellent reasons to desert their squad and illegally immigrate into the UK), but denying visas to blind people? That sounds a bit ludicrous to me.

[Mr. Wicket]

You can't start taking disabilities into account when giving out visas. If preferential treatment in visa applications was given to people with various disabilities or handicaps - how long would it take for a whole lot of fraud to open up in that area and people to try and exploit it?