Dharamshala September 23 – In what turned out to be a massive setback for the Tibetan National Sports Association the French Embassy in New Delhi has denied visa to the Tibetan football squad. The Tibetan National football team which was formed after this year’s Gyalyum Chenmo memorial gold cup was being trained at a football camp in Selakui, Dehradun. The Tibetan team were to play friendly matches in France and other areas.
This is the second time that the Tibetan team was refused visa to travel to France. The French Embassy earlier reasoned that many Tibetans have illegally migrated to France.
Despite attempts by phayul to get reaction of the team Mr. Kalsang Dhondup, the secretary of the Tibetan National Sports Association, was not available for comments. The move seemingly taken under pressure from China has left the Tibetan team in despair.
“It is very unfortunate that the French Embassy has denied visa to Tibetan players. It can be best described as ‘politics in sports’. And such a lowly diplomatic move by the 1998 world champions of the sport is embarrassing,” reckons Tenzin Lhaksam, a young Tibetan of Dharamshala.
