Mali Blasts Czech Republic Visa Denial Blocking U19 Team
(MENAFN) Mali on Monday issued a forceful condemnation of the Czech Republic's decision to deny entry visas to its national team set to compete in the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
In a sharply worded statement, the Malian Foreign Ministry announced it had lodged an official protest with Prague, using a diplomatic note to express its disapproval of the visa refusals.
The Malian team had been scheduled to participate in the international tournament, taking place from July 12 to 20 in Brno, a city in southern Czech Republic.
FIBA, the sport’s global governing body, confirmed that Mali’s delegation was unable to make the trip to Brno due to visa complications.
As a result, Mali’s scheduled matchups with Australia, France, and Brazil were canceled. Nigeria now remains the sole African representative in the competition.
The Foreign Ministry described the situation as “deeply regrettable,” emphasizing that the young athletes were “meant to represent not only our country but the entire African continent.”
Labeling the visa refusal as both an “unfriendly act” and a “breach of the obligations” expected from hosts of global sporting events, the ministry called on Czech authorities to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding what it termed an “unfortunate” incident.
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