Featured Image: Venezuelan men's national basketball team. File photo.
This Tuesday, November 8, Mervin Maldonado, Venezuela’s minister for youth and sports, called out the Canadian government for violating international regulations by not issuing visas permitting the Venezuelan men’s national basketball team to compete in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers in Edmonton.
The men’s national basketball team is to play against Canada this Thursday, November 10. Although they applied for travel visas over two months ago, following proper protocol, the team has yet to receive their authorization from the government of Canada.
Queremos denunciar que el gobierno de Canadá en franca violación a los reglamentos internacionales sobre visado a deportistas, No ha emitido las visas que por derecho corresponde a nuestra selección nacional de Baloncesto masculino q jugará frente a Canadá este jueves 10Nov
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/vMuUyr0yJQ— Mervin Maldonado (@MervinMaldonad0) November 8, 2022
Maldonado explained that he applied for the required visa through the Venezuelan Basketball Federation. The visa allows the team to compete in order to qualify for the World Championships in 2023.
“Less than 24 hours from the limit and the visas have not yet been issued,” the minister said.
This is not the first time that such a scenario has occurred involving a Venezuelan athletic team. Last September, Chile denied visas to members of the men’s volleyball team, needed to participate an important South American tournament.
Chile defended itself and alleged that the required documentation was not submitted in time for the 2023 South American Games.
ALBA-TCP condemns inaction from Canada
Sacha Llorenti, executive secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (ALBA–TCP) condemned the position taken by the government of Canada with regards to the Venezuelan National Basketball Team.
“This type of action violates the principles and values established in the Olympic Charter against any form of discrimination against a country or person based on race, religion, politics, sex, or any other type,” Llorenti tweeted.
Likewise, he reaffirmed that the position taken by Canada “is incompatible with the inclusive spirit of sport.”
Este tipo de acciones vulnera los principios y valores establecidos en la Carta Olímpica contra cualquier forma de discriminación a un país o persona basada en raza, religión, política, sexo o de otro tipo. Es incompatible con el espíritu integrador del deporte. https://t.co/XBhu9EKSe6
— Sacha Llorenti (@SachaLlorenti) November 8, 2022
Recently, Carlos Faría, foreign minister of Venezuela, had suggested that the government of Canada should “take care of its internal affairs and avoid its interfering and inopportune opinions on the dialogue in Venezuela.”
Faría’s suggestion came after Jason Kung, spokesperson for the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged the Venezuelan government to “immediately” resume negotiations with the opposition.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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