Ireland rejects visas to SL cycling team

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 September 2009, 16:28 GMT]
Ireland embassy in New Delhi in India has refused visas to thirteen competitors from Sri Lanka for the cycling event at the World Military Games 2009 in Ireland. A number of reasons for the refusal had been given by the embassy officials, sources in Colombo said.

A cycling team consisting of thirteen members from Sri Lanka had sent in their applications to the Ireland embassy in India to participate in the World Military Games 2009.

The reasons for the refusal of visa, include the delay in handing in the applications, applicants not having travelled abroad before and Sri Lanka not participating in the said event in 2008 in Slovenia.

Meanwhile, the Defense Forces Cycling Committee said that Sri Lanka was in the midst of a civil war last year when the games were held in Slovenia and hence it could not participate in the games.