A day after the sports activities ministry approached the UK authorities with a visa request for Sania Mirza’s son — stating that the tennis participant “cannot leave a two-year-old child behind as she travels for a month” — a British High Commission spokesperson knowledgeable The Indian Express that the “case is currently under consideration.”
India had been placed on the UK authorities’s journey ‘red list’ final month over the worry of the brand new COVID-19 pressure. Those flying from the nations on ‘red list’ need to bear strict quarantine and extra exams. However, the UK border regulation has jobs that qualify for journey exemptions, together with pointers for elite sportspersons.
On Wednesday, the Sports Ministry had sought the intervention of the External Affairs Ministry for the visas of Sania’s son Izhaan and his caretaker.
“Sania, who is a part of the Sports Ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), approached the Ministry requesting help with the visa of her son and his caretaker. Sania stated that she cannot leave a two-year-old child behind as she travels for a month,” the ministry stated in a press release.
Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Sania is predicted to compete within the England grass-court tournaments all through June — ranging from the Nottingham Open, the Birmingham Open and the Eastbourne Open, earlier than the Wimbledon. According to the ministry, although Sania has been granted a visa to journey to Nottingham, her son and his caretaker haven’t obtained UK visas owing to the journey restrictions on Indian travellers.
Challenge for moms
The case might be a precursor to moms of younger youngsters competing on the Tokyo Games.
At the prior editions, youngsters travelled as a member of the family of the competing athlete. The household may both keep collectively exterior the athletes’ village or moms may go to their youngsters throughout occasions and coaching. But the Japan border is closed for overseas nationals from 159 international locations “unless special exceptional circumstances are found”.
USA Today columnist Nancy Armour wrote earlier this month: “IOC spokesperson Christian Klaue said that women athletes who want to bring their children to Tokyo will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, without providing detail on how that would be possible under Japan’s entry restrictions.”
During the Italian Open this month, Serena Williams hinted that she may skip the Olympics if she’s unable to carry her three-year-old daughter Olympia. “I haven’t spent 24 hours without her, so that kind of answers the question itself. We’re best friends,” the 39-year-old stated. Earlier this 12 months, throughout the Australian Open in January, Serena had stated, “I would not be able to go function without my 3-year-old around. I think I would be in a depression. We’ve been together every day of her life.”
During a US soccer media name in April, American footballer and World Cup-winner Alex Morgan stated: “It’s important to allow mothers the option to have their kids with them while they compete. I’ve been lucky to be able to do that every single camp. I hope I continue to feel that way leading into the Olympics and in the Olympics.”
The 2012 Olympic gold medallist was additionally unsure whether or not her one-year-old daughter would have the ability to accompany her to Toyko.
“I have not been given more information than what everyone else knows. I’m just still very hopeful that I’ll have my daughter with me, (and someone) who will be able to watch her during training and games,” stated Morgan. “It’s important to allow mothers the option to have their kids with them while they compete… if a child is under one or two, they might still be breastfeeding, so that’s a huge piece of it.”
During a Team USA media name, six-time Olympic gold-medallist sprinter and mom of a three-year-old daughter Allyson Felix stated, “I would be most sensitive to moms who are breastfeeding, new moms, moms with very small babies. I know how crucial that is.”