Indian Athletics Team Faces Visa Delays for Poland Training Camp

Visa Issues Delay Training Camp for Indian Athletes

The Indian athletics team's upcoming high-performance training camp in Poland is facing significant delays due to visa complications.

Scheduled to commence in the first week of July, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) plans to send a contingent of 68 athletes to the National Centre for Sports Training in Spala, in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow starting July 23.

However, the AFI has been informed that the necessary Polish visas will not be available until August. The sports ministry is currently addressing this issue.

A spokesperson from the sports ministry confirmed the delay, stating, "Yes, there is a delay in issuing visas, but with the government's involvement, we expect a resolution soon," as reported by a local media outlet.

In addition to Poland, the AFI had also arranged a training camp in Czechia, having faced similar visa delays previously. A source indicated, "We anticipate that the visas will be processed within the next two to three days."

Moreover, the AFI has been advised to reduce the number of athletes traveling to Spala. "They have been instructed to limit the participants. I believe only those selected for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games will be included in this training session," another source mentioned.

Last year, the AFI applied for visas for over 50 athletes, but only about 20 were able to train for just over two weeks.