Visa issues threaten Sri Lanka’s participation at 6th Carrom World Cup in USA
The Sri Lanka National Carrom team is currently facing a major hurdle as they prepare for the upcoming 6th Carrom World Cup, scheduled to take place from November 10 to 17 in San Francisco, California. Despite the excitement surrounding the event, the former Carrom World Cup winners are grappling with visa issues that could impact their participation.
Out of the entire delegation, only two players and the team manager have obtained visas to enter USA, while six important players had their applications rejected. Sri Lanka has named a squad of eight players – four each in men and women – and a manager. The situation is further complicated by the absence of a sports minister in the country, which has hindered the team’s chances to secure official support from the Ministry of Sports.
The rejection of the six players comes despite the official invitation letter forwarded by the United Stated Carrom Association (USCA), who are hosting the 6th World Cup as an affiliate of International Carrom Federation. The Sri Lanka team includes national top ranked players Mohamed Shaheed, Anas Ahamed, Nishantha Fernando, Kaveen Peiris, Tarushi Himanshika, Roshita Joseph, Tasmila Kavindi and Hirushi Peiris, with Ranil Abeysinghe
as the manager.
This tournament holds great significance for the Sri Lankan team, as they enter as the defending champions. In the previous edition held in South Korea in 2018, the men’s team emerged victorious, clinching the World Cup title, while the women’s team finished as runners-up. Their participation in this year’s tournament is vital to defend their title and uphold their legacy on the global stage. The national team is in dire need of assistance from relevant authorities to resolve the visa situation, as the team’s absence would be a significant setback to Sri Lanka’s reputation in international carrom.