United Kingdom Embassy issued visas to the players of Azerbaijan hockey team

14.08.07
18:05

Field Hockey Federation press service has informed Day.Az today, that remaining 6 members of our team that are originally from Korea have at last been issued with visas and are flying to UK today to take part in European Championship. Other 9 team members will fly out tomorrow.
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11.08.07
12:17

Day.Az reporter has contacted Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Khazar Ibrahim for comments on the situation.

K. Ibrahim told that Azerbaijan has already started to clarify the issue and if the problem is not resolved, approprriate measures will be taken.

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10:15

According to our information, the team composition of which was announced two days ago has not yet left for the UK due to the inability to obtain visas at the UK Embassy. UK Embassy rejected to issue visas to our hockey players without any grounded reason.

This incident negatively affects the psychological condition of the team members just before the start of the championship. Unfortunately, this incident creates the bureaucratic obstacles for the Azerbaijani National Team, who has the serious pretension in the European Championship. The rising of prestige of the Azerbaijani Field Hockey Women Team in world arena accompanying the implementation of double standards to our team, which is surprising and regretful.

We note that the European Championship is of qualifying character. That is, the first three teams of the continental championship will be awarded licenses for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.