Setback for Tibetan women’s football team as US denies visa

[ShugdenProtector]

Setback for Tibetan women’s football team as US denies visa
[Sunday, February 26, 2017 19:55]
By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, FEB. 26: A Tibetan women’s football team in exile which was to participate in a friendly football tournament in the US has been denied visa with their much anticipated trip hanging in limbo. Tibetan girl players dressed in football jerseys stood outside the US Consulate in New Delhi on Saturday and expressed their disappointment in a video posted on Facebook.

The team though not recognized by the apex football body of the exile Tibetan community, the TNSA (Tibetan National Sports Association), is a well respected and admired team having represented Tibet in the Indian sub-continent as well as in Germany in the past.

The Tibetan women’s team managed by Cassie Childers, their American director, has expressed her disappointment over the denial of the visa saying no proper explanation was given by the embassy, despite having produced all necessary documentation and fulfilling all requirements that were asked in the mandatory regulation by US visa guidelines.

Childers who divides her time being a realtor and the Executive Director at Tibet’s Women’s Soccer clearly sounded dejected after the development on her Facebook page, “The Embassy of the United States of America REJECTED simple ten-day tourist visas for the first Tibetan women’s soccer team to attend the Dallas Cup as VIP guests. Everything was filed properly. All the invitations were in order. The conditions were perfect. The only explanation given: ‘YOU HAVE NO GOOD REASON TO TRAVEL TO THE USA’”.

The Tibetan women’s team was invited by well known football player and manager Gordon Harold Jago, to Dallas Cup, one of the most important friendly youth tournaments in the world with alumni list boasting the likes of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney.

The ten - day trip would have seen the Tibetan team lead the opening day parade into the Cotton Bowl stadium carrying the Tibetan flag, and the honor of being the first sports team of any sex to represent Tibet on US soil, Cassie wrote. The team was also to train with a university’s women’s team in Texas during their visit.

Childers lamented that the itinerary she had painstakingly planned months ahead with tournament organizers in the US as well as the hefty visa application fee for the whole squad amounting to 5000 USD have gone “down the drain”.

“Yes, there are way worse tragedies in life, and these young women have lived through most of it. Being ripped away from their country, their families, and sent to live in rough conditions in a foreign place was way worse. Walking for 28 days in fake Chinese tennis shoes over the HIMALAYAS under the cover of darkness, at the age of 8, was much harder. This trip was going to be the best damn thing to ever happen to these girls. Ten days of fun, doing something meaningful for their country and their families back in Tibet, and being treated like they’ve always deserved to be treated – that was the whole point. The US had an opportunity to play host to one of the most inspiring groups of young women on this planet today. The United States of America failed today. Utterly, “Childers lamented.

The team has since called on the authorities to reverse the decision, seeking support for their plight. In addition, a crowd fund sourcing platform to recover the visa fee to replenish the fund –stricken Tibetan Women’s football team that had an existence akin to living “between the rock and a hard place” since their tumultuous beginning has been initiated.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=38710&article=Setback+for+Tibetan+women%E2%80%99s+football+team+as+US+denies+visa

Oh dear dear... it looks like Trump administration is not going to take Tibet's side after all. It is expected and it is time for the Tibetan Leadership to stop hoping, wishing the West is going to help. Now even more worst than before as USA's new president is not one that is ethical nor compassionate to the plight of "foreigners". He is after all a BUSINESSMAN and he is going to do business with China like it or not. So CTA better wake up and make friends with the right people. They would have better chance if they'd stop going against China and just find ways to work together. Poor kids, always caught in between the politics of greedy adults. CTA your milking the West days are over and Trump will fire you.

[kris]

It is quite sad to see sports is influenced by political powers. I am sure the girls train hard to participate in the competitions. However, it does show that CTA is getting less and less influential in the political scene. Taiwan although is considered a state of China in most of political stands, but they still have a seat to participate in world sports.

CTA needs to unite their people by lifting the ban. Tibetan in Exile is under constant fear and segregation and it is not helping the "country".

[Pema8]

Again a Setback for the Tibetans. What could have been such a beautiful experience for the Tibetan women's football team will not happen. Another chance to show up as Tibetans with their unique culture has been denied.

"The only explanation given: "YOU HAVE NO GOOD REASON TO TRAVEL TO THE USA” is quite scary. US gives no more "Tourist Visa" because they asked only for a 10 days tourist Visa?

[Big Uncle]

Well, this is just the perfect example of the Trump administration kowtowing to the One China policy with Tibet. Once Trump gets a better grip on  geo-political relations and power, they will definitely want more of Chinese trade and money.

There is no denying this hard-cold fact. Activists groups can lobby all they want, protestors can campaign all they want but none of what they do will bring in the trade, business and prosperity. Hence, its no surprise that America is doing this. The blundering ways of the Trump administration have only quicken the rise of China.  With China's rise, so would the Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden.                                                                                                                                                                             

[ShugdenProtector]

The blundering ways of the Trump administration have only quicken the rise of China.  With China's rise, so would the Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden.

I AGREE on this! AND eventually the discrimination on Dorje Shugden will be silenced, as China rises it will also bring Dorje Shugden practice up simply because the CTA and the Dalai Lama opposes it. IF the CTA were "smart", the will NOT oppose it and stop the ban and STOP saying Dorje Shugden is bad, then China will not use it, promote it and spread it to the WORLD. Why is Dharamsala so ignorant? No wonder they lost their country! Om Mani Pedme Hum!

[ShugdenProtector]

As if the Tibet Women's Soccer team did not get slapped hard enough by the USA Embassy denying them Visa, their own exile Government, CTA rejects them by "disassociating" with them. You would think and hope that the CTA would step up and do something or say something console the team, instead they reject them. What the h@#L!

Dharamsala: In light of the recent news of New Delhi based U.S. Embassy’s denial of visa to Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team to participate in Dallas Cup, the Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA), officially recognized by Central Tibetan Administration issued a letter of clarification stating its disassociation with the Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team.



According to the letter, TNSA stated it ‘makes official representation of Tibet in various tournaments within India and abroad.’ TNSA based in Dharamsala is registered under the Indian Societies Act XXI, 1860 and has a governing body and an executive team.

The letter also stated ‘TNSA has its own Women’s Football Team.’


Source: http://linkis.com/tibet.net/2017/03/FR6my

[Joo Won]

So sad and hurt to see this! Sport should not mixed with politics. However almost every aspects of our life is politics. It's It's even worse and hit even harder by the decision of Tibetan exile government disassociates themselves with the football team. Rejected by Trump government is a blow, but "betrayal" by your own government and people is something brings even more damaging to the spirit and feeling of the team. You are deserted by your weak government who suppose to look after your welfare and provide you protection when outsider attacking you...

[Rowntree]

Tibetan leadership is just a bunch of selfish morons and devils! Instead of solving the US visa denial issue, they disassociate with the Tibet Women's Soccer team. What does this disassociation has to do with the REAL issue? It is the Tibetan Leadership faults that the team was denied for their genuine visa application because the CTA always irks the Chinese in order to milk endless aids in millions from the west and Europe. It is very sad that these sportswomen do not get to participate in the match strictly due to political agendas. This is just another failure of the limited and disorganised "government" that very much bring only suffering and pain for their people!

As if the Tibet Women's Soccer team did not get slapped hard enough by the USA Embassy denying them Visa, their own exile Government, CTA rejects them by "disassociating" with them. You would think and hope that the CTA would step up and do something or say something console the team, instead they reject them. What the h@#L!

Dharamsala: In light of the recent news of New Delhi based U.S. Embassy’s denial of visa to Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team to participate in Dallas Cup, the Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA), officially recognized by Central Tibetan Administration issued a letter of clarification stating its disassociation with the Tibetan Women’s Soccer Team.



According to the letter, TNSA stated it ‘makes official representation of Tibet in various tournaments within India and abroad.’ TNSA based in Dharamsala is registered under the Indian Societies Act XXI, 1860 and has a governing body and an executive team.

The letter also stated ‘TNSA has its own Women’s Football Team.’


Source: http://linkis.com/tibet.net/2017/03/FR6my

[Ringo Starr]

Look at how the CTA tries to deflect its failures and responsibility.

Instead of trying to get to the bottom of why the football team did not to get their visas and help them get it, they spin it to an issue about sports affiliation.

The crux of the matter is that a bunch of eager, youthful and full of potential young Tibetan women failed to get permission to visit the US to play in a football tournament. It is a failure of diplomacy and the CTA should take responsibility for it.

But of course this is not what the CTA is all about.