The remaining Sudirman Cup 2023 bound team members will travel to Delhi to provide their fingerprints in order to obtain the necessary visa in time to compete in the championship, according to a BAI official.
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According to reports, the approval of the 23-member contingent’s visa applications by the Chinese Embassy in Delhi is still a problem, thus keeping India’s participation doubtful at the prestigious Sudirman Cup in 2023. In Suzhou, China, between May 14 and May 21, the Sudirman Cup 2023 is expected to take place. The Times of India reported that the Indian team is still awaiting their travel documents so they can attend the tournament, which starts on Sunday. While waiting for their visas, players are receiving training in Hyderabad.
The team has already reserved a flight from Bengaluru to Shanghai for May 10. But it now appears challenging. The report also stated that despite numerous follow-ups from the Badminton Association of India (BAI) to expedite the process, the Chinese embassy has not responded. The Badminton World Federation (BWF), whose authority the Sudirman Cup is held, must be approached for assistance by the BAI as there is no other choice. According to the report, the Chinese team encountered a comparable pre-India Open situation earlier this year, but the BAI stepped in to make sure the players received their visas on time.
Indian athletes have experienced delays in receiving their visas before. Similar difficulties prevented the Indian Taekwondo team from traveling to Colombia for the World Taekwondo Championships 2022 last year. Similar to the U-23 wrestlers, there are also issues with visas, and some wrestlers were unable to compete in the U-23 World Wrestling Championships held in Spain.
India earned a spot in the Sudirman Cup 2023 earlier this year after winning the bronze medal at the Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 in Dubai. At the mixed continental championships, India also qualified for the semifinal round for the first time. However, India lost to China in the semifinals and had to settle for third place.
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The Indian team has been doing well in team competitions over the past year (the men’s team winning the historic Thomas Cup in 2022 and the bronze medal in the Asian mixed team championships in 2023). The Sudirman Cup 2023’s Group C is comprised of Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, and Australia, along with India. Two teams from each group (a total of four) advance to the quarterfinals, which will feature 16 teams.
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist is the only Indian shuttler to obtain a visa for the Sudirman Cup, the biennial mixed team world championship, which will be held in Suzhou, China, from May 14 to 21. On April 24, in addition to Sindhu, her trainer Vidhi Choudhary and physio B Evangeline also received their visas. But Sindhu’s teammates are still waiting for the same thing.
The remaining Sudirman Cup 2023 bound team members will travel to Delhi to provide their fingerprints in order to obtain the necessary visa in time to compete in the championship, according to a BAI official. “We have high hopes that this problem will be solved quickly. These issues are fairly typical and the authorities have always addressed them over time,” the official said under the condition of anonymity.
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