Wednesday, November 29, 2006
VISA PROBLEMS KEEP RUNNERS OUT OF THE RACE
The New York Times reported (subscription required) earlier this month that a number of elite runners have missed major races in the United States due to visa problems and have lost opportunities for prizes in excess of $100,000. The Times noted that Algerian runner Rachid Ziar missed the New York Marathon in 2002 because of security clearance delays.
According to the Times, elite runners only compete in two or three marathons a year and the failure to make a race like the NY Marathon can have a devastating effect on a runner’s annual income since the top American marathons pay prize money often multiple times more than races abroad. The loss of top global competitors also affects the prestige of US races which tout themselves as the best in the world.
Visa concerns have also affected the Detroit Marathon which stages part of its course in Windsor, Ontario. Marathon organizers noted that foreign runners are interviewed ahead of time by immigration officials. According to the Times, “Spotters and timing chips attached to the runners’ shoes kept track of
the competitors’ whereabouts on the course. Anyone who jumped into the race unofficially was subject to arrest.”
Security clearances aren’t the only problem. The Times interviewed Derek Froude, the agent of leading Russian runner Galina Aleksandrova who was denied a visa to compete in a series of US summer road races. According to Foude, “They refused to believe she wasn’t coming to the U.S. to find a husband.”
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:58 AM
Comments:
Post a Comment
XML newsfeed
archives
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
July 2011
August 2011
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
October 2012
November 2012
January 2013
July 2013
September 2013
December 2013
January 2014
April 2014
May 2014
July 2014
According to the Times, elite runners only compete in two or three marathons a year and the failure to make a race like the NY Marathon can have a devastating effect on a runner’s annual income since the top American marathons pay prize money often multiple times more than races abroad. The loss of top global competitors also affects the prestige of US races which tout themselves as the best in the world.
Visa concerns have also affected the Detroit Marathon which stages part of its course in Windsor, Ontario. Marathon organizers noted that foreign runners are interviewed ahead of time by immigration officials. According to the Times, “Spotters and timing chips attached to the runners’ shoes kept track of
the competitors’ whereabouts on the course. Anyone who jumped into the race unofficially was subject to arrest.”
Security clearances aren’t the only problem. The Times interviewed Derek Froude, the agent of leading Russian runner Galina Aleksandrova who was denied a visa to compete in a series of US summer road races. According to Foude, “They refused to believe she wasn’t coming to the U.S. to find a husband.”
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:58 AM
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
July 2011
August 2011
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
October 2012
November 2012
January 2013
July 2013
September 2013
December 2013
January 2014
April 2014
May 2014
July 2014