Visa hurdle for Bursa Uludağ Basketbol: Team plays with only 5 players
Bursa Uludağ Basketbol was defeated 122-63 by London Lions in a match where they could only field 5 players due to visa issues. In a statement from the club, it was noted that visa applications for the athletes were submitted on December 3, but the British Embassy did not process the visas in time.
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Bursa Uludağ Basketbol Team was only able to field 5 players for their EuroCup Women match against London Lions due to the United Kingdom failing to grant visas. Our representative finished the match with a 122-63 defeat.
The Bursa Uludağ Basketbol team could not field a full squad for the FIBA Europe Cup Women's play-off round second leg, which was scheduled to be played in England today, due to visa problems.
In the statement made by the club, it was stated that after the matchup was determined, the athletes' visa applications were made quickly on December 3, saying, "Because the match was to be played in England, the applications regarding our athletes' visa procedures were initiated on December 3.
An invitation letter was prepared for us regarding the match to be played today. With this invitation letter, we made our visa application both through the website and by physically going to the British Consulate," it was said.
TBF ISSUED A STATEMENT
In the statement, which noted that efforts were made to accelerate the process by contacting Turkish Basketball Federation officials and the British Embassy, it was stated, "However, the federation of the country where the match will be held and the embassy notified us and caused our grievance today.
Although all of our athletes' passports are valid in all European countries, and we sent our 5 players who have visa exemptions to London to play the match because England has a visa requirement, this situation was not accepted. Despite all our efforts, our team cannot participate in the match to be held today because the visas of our other players, apart from our 5 players, were not approved by the British Embassy and were left in limbo," the statements were included.
London Lions Basketball won the first match played in Bursa 77-53.
Bursa Uludağ Basketbol went to the London Lions match in the EuroCup Women with only 5 players because visas were not issued for some of the players and the technical staff. In Bursa Uludağ, which played the match without anyone on the bench, Eda Şahin completed the match despite being injured. Our representative left the struggle with a 59-point difference, defeated 122-63.