The Second World Championship & Games for the Blind got underway at Quebec today but the Indian contingent was apparently stuck somewhere enroute, looking for flights to make it to the venue. Their departure from India itself was a late start: the Canadian High Commission initially denied visa to the eight visually impaired athletes and relented only after the Ministry of External Affairs intervened. The visa delay meant missing the scheduled flight and splitting the group for travel. Hours before their planned departure early on August 1, the 14-member contingent — there are six staff members to assist four men and four women athletes — was informed by the Canadian High Commission that the visa applications had been turned down: the athletes were told that the authorities were not sure whether they had sufficient ties here to depart from Canada after entering as visitors. Handed a note which rejected visa on six out of eight counts, the Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA), the sponsors, had to cancel the booking. The IBSA had furnished documentary evidence confirming receipt of $ 10,850 by the Canadian Blind Sports Association, the event hosts, but the High Commission here was not convinced that the IBSA had the necessary funds or sufficient income/assets to cover the trip. An upset Manju Bharat Ram, general secretary of the Association and a well-known face among those working for the blind, said she was taken aback by the rejection. ‘‘I don’t know anybody in the Canadian High Commission. The athletes had put in so much hard work and we had spent close to Rs 18 lakh to organise this trip. Left with no choice, we rushed to the Ministry of External Affairs on July 31. They intervened and we got the visa the next day, but missed the scheduled flight.’’ While the team managed to get confirmed bookings upto Frankfurt for August 2 morning, their onward journey was still unplanned. Even Ms Bharat Ram was not sure how the contingent would manage beyond Europe. ‘‘We had to pay extra for fresh tickets, but still couldn’t get confirmed bookings till Quebec. They group was to split at Frankfurt and travel in separate planes. But I don’t know what happened, we are yet to hear from them. We had thought to get them there a day in advance to acclimatise, but now it looks like we are sure to miss even the inauguration,’’ she told The Indian Express. Brian Dickson, Deputy High Commissioner of the Canadian mission in New Delhi, confirmed there was delay in issuing visa. ‘‘Yes, there was a delay. But all I can say is that we receive several applications and have to examine each one carefully.’’
