Venezuelan Little League baseball team banned from entering United States for major tournament over visa denial
A LITTLE League Baseball team from Venezuela has been banned from entering the United States after being denied travel visas.
The Cacique Mara Little League team had been hoping to enter the States to compete in the Senior League Baseball World Series being played just outside Greenville, South Carolina, this week.
GettyA Little League Baseball team was denied entry in the US for a major tournament[/caption]
However, the team has been left unable to participate in the major tournament, held for teens aged 13-16.
It is one level up from the Little League World Series for 10-12-year-olds which starts on August 17.
The team had travelled to the US embassy in Bogota, Colombia, two weeks ago to apply for the visas.
But news of their denial was met with disappointment and frustration.
A team statement to the AP said: “It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogotá with the hope that our children can fulfill their dreams of participating in a world championship.
“What do we do with so much injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?”
A Little League International statement added the situation was “extremely disappointing.”
The Washington Post said a senior State Department official told them the case was being reviewed and “proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants.”
Venezuela was one of 12 nations handed a blanket entry ban in June by President Donald Trump.
Although that ban is not expected to impact on major sports leagues such as the MLB or NBA, which have a large pool of international talent.
Cacique Mara were replaced by Mexican team Santa María de Aguayo, who had lost in the Latin American championship game.
Organisers said this decision was taken to “ensure the Latin America Region is represented in the tournament and that the players, coaches and families from Mexico are able to have a memorable World Series experience.”
Elsewhere, members of the Cuban women’s national volleyball team were denied visas to a tournament being held in Puerto Rico earlier in July.
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