The Indian men's football team has been dealt a significant blow as the Finnish Embassy has denied visas to key players, preventing their participation in the upcoming World Championship in Finland. Despite extensive efforts and preparation, technical issues and last-minute complications have halted their journey, impacting their plans to compete internationally and prepare for future global events.
In Short:
- India’s men’s flag football team will miss the World Championship in Finland from August 27-30.
- Visa issues and technical difficulties led to the team’s withdrawal.
- India had finished 20th in the 2021 World Championship in Israel.
- Flag football is set to debut in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- India aims to host the Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships next year.
India’s men’s flag football team will not be competing in the upcoming Flag Football World Championship in Finland, scheduled from August 27 to 30, due to visa complications and other technical issues. This decision was confirmed by Dr. Sandeep Chaudhari, CEO of the American Football Federation of India (AFFI).
This setback means the team will miss out on participating in consecutive world championships. In 2021, India secured the 20th position at the World Championship held in Israel. The upcoming tournament in Finland was seen as a crucial step in preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will make its debut.
Dr. Chaudhari explained that the problems were not limited to visas alone; there were also technical issues from the international organizers' side. Despite everyone's best efforts, the team couldn’t meet the necessary requirements in time. The lack of a timely response from the Finland embassy regarding some team members' visa applications left the AFFI with no choice but to withdraw. Attempts to reapply for visas were futile due to the short time frame, which required at least 30 days for processing.
"The team’s morale is understandably low," said Dr. Chaudhari. "The players had been training hard and were looking forward to this opportunity. It was their chance to show their skills on a global stage and see where they stood against the world’s best."
Last year, India earned its spot in the World Championship by participating in the inaugural Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Looking ahead, India has plans to host the second edition of this continental tournament next year. Dr. Chaudhari mentioned that the bid for hosting is still in its early stages, but there is optimism about securing the rights.
Had the team been able to travel to Finland, Dr. Chaudhari believed it would have been an excellent opportunity to strengthen India’s position in international flag football and discuss hosting future tournaments with officials from the International Federation of American Football.