- Minister voices concerns on recurring visa issues
- Requests federations to expedite process to avoid delays
Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage recently reiterated that the Sports Ministry had no authority over the issuance of visas to Sri Lankan athletes, urging sporting bodies not to pass the responsibility back to the ministry.
He requested sports federations to take greater responsibility in managing overseas travel arrangements of teams coming under their purview, instead of shifting responsibility to the Sports Ministry and the Government.
Speaking to the media, the Minister emphasised that there had been a long-standing misconception that visas could be facilitated by the Sports Ministry.
“Even for a minister to travel abroad, we have to comply with the procedures of the relevant visa authorities. There are mandatory timelines for processing visas and these have to be respected and adhered to,” he said.
Gamage highlighted a recent case involving an Under 14 badminton team, which had submitted passports to the Chinese Embassy on a Friday afternoon despite having tickets booked to fly the following day. When visas were not issued in time, the Government was subsequently blamed, according to the Minister.
“It is misleading to suggest that the Sports Ministry or the Government issues visas. That responsibility lies entirely with the relevant sports federations and those serving in those respective bodies,” Gamage explained.
The Minister further noted that federations must apply for visas well in advance before purchasing tickets.
“Athletes are not selected at the eleventh hour. Adequate time is provided to apply for visas and make overseas travel arrangements, including for major events such as the Asian Games. Yet, in some cases, tickets are purchased even before visa applications are submitted,” he pointed out.
He noted that several similar incidents had occurred recently and said that inquiries were being conducted by the ministry in order to overcome the issue once and for all.
However, Gamage cautioned against punitive measures. “We cannot ban sports associations ad hoc. Then we will be left with no sports federations. We must continue to work with them constructively to resolve these persistent issues,” he stated.
He added: “The Sports Ministry cannot intervene in the visa process for athletes. We can only request that applications be expedited. Visa authorities have minimum processing periods, and if those requirements are not met, there is nothing further we can do. This is the core issue behind these delays.”
(JK)