Ugandan team granted visas for Ottawa River competition
Canadian immigration officials have granted visas to four members of the Ugandan freestyle kayaking team.
They are now cleared to compete in the freestyle world championships beginning Aug. 30 on the Ottawa River at Beachburg.
It was third time lucky for the kayakers, who had twice been refused by the Canadian High Commission officials in Nairobi, Kenya, handling their applications.
“They are ecstatic,’ said team manager Sam Ward, a British citizen who has been part of an effort by the international kayaking community to get the visa decision reversed.
Amina Tayona, the only woman in the group, collapsed in tears when she heard the news that the visas had been granted, Ward said.
“Then she went around hugging everyone,” he added. “It was very emotional. They are very happy.”
Reality kicked in shortly afterward when the team discovered the fare to Canada had doubled since their original visa application.
But in five or six hours on Friday they had crowdsourced their target of $5,200 from kayakers across the world and with donations from many individual Canadians.
The three visa applications — $200 per person for each application — had eaten into the team’s funds.
Ottawa Citizen stories about the visa refusals during the past three weeks produced an international outpouring of support, Ward said.
“The injustice of it all generated so much emotion from so many people,” he said. “I think that’s why we have seen such a willingness to help today when they were trying to raise the extra money.”
Ward says he hopes to have his team in Ottawa by early next week.
“Every day counts for their training,” he said. “It’s going to be quite limited anyway.”
Citizenship and Immigration, bound by privacy regulations, have refused to say publicly why the visa applications were refused.
But according to documents obtained by the Citizen, the Nairobibased officials refused visas to the four athletes over concerns they won’t return home.
The documents also suggested that the officials considered the reasons for the quartet’s proposed visit to Canada as unclear despite supporting documentation from canoe and kayaking and other organizations clearly stating the purpose.
A third application, together with letters of financial and material support, resulted in a change of mind, but it is unclear why.
CanoeKayak Canada urged the Canada Visa Application Centre in Africa to allow the Ugandans to attend the championships.
“We are disappointed to hear through our friends in Uganda that their freestyle team’s visa applications have been denied. This is an international event, and participation from all countries that wish to compete is imperative in assuring a high level of competition. Furthermore, it is an opportunity for countries to unite in celebration of sport while putting aside political and cultural differences.
“Your efforts will go a long way in upholding Canada’s highly regarded reputation as an international sports host.”
The championships will be held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5.
The International Canoe Federation sanctions and hosts the event, which will also be observed by Olympic officials.
The Ugandans are among 27 teams registered for the competition.
“They are all self-made heroes already within Uganda, starting from very lowly beginnings, and are now established and well-respected members of their communities,” Ward said in a previous interview with the Citizen.
This is the third time the world championships have been held in Canada and, according to organizers, there has never been a defection of a competitor.
The Ugandan team is based at Jinja on the shore of Lake Victoria, near the source of the White Nile. The area is a popular training spot and attracts freestyle kayakers from around the globe.
Freestyle kayaking — sometimes referred to as the gymnastics of kayaking — was an exhibition sport at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Besides Uganda, registered teams are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, United States and Ukraine.
Organizers say they are unaware of athletes from any other country being refused visas.
More information on the world championships at:
The injustice of it all generated so much emotion from so many people. … We have seen such a willingness to help.