NEW DELHI: British High Commission (BHC) here April 30, in an “unusual step” asked some members of the Indian hockey team to appear for an interview before granting them visas for the forthcoming visit as part of the European tour, Indian hockey federation sources here said.
The sources said the IHF representatives was informed of the stand by the BHC when he went to collect visas for the 20-member Indian team which will visit Britain from May 11 to 20 as part of their five-nation European tour.
The sources said the representative was informed that granting of visas to those players who had not visited Britain earlier or those with new passports were required to appear for an interview before a visa was granted,
The sources said “It was a strange (stand) since the visit of the Indian team was at the invitation of the British hockey association and such a step was not taken earlier.”
The sources, however, expected the problem to be sorted out in next few days.
The Indian hockey team led by Pargat Singh is scheduled to leave on May 6 here for Brussels Belgium for the tour that takes them through Britain, Spain, Germany and Holland before returning home on June 2.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 15, 1992
