Mervyn Naidoo

major football final.

“They should have realised the interest beforehand,” said the disappointed Naidoo.

But he was not the only local football fan who encountered a hassle acquiring a Ukraine visa.

Last week, a national weekend newspaper reported how other travel agencies and football fans endured similar frustrations regarding the availability and attitude of officials processing visas.

One agency had apparently 40 clients lined up for the Kiev game but were only able secure visas for two fans, it was reported. However, Ukraine’s acting ambassador, Liubov Abravitova, in Pretoria denied they had dropped the ball when processing visas for football fans.

She said the embassy’s operations were in line with international standards and went the proverbial extra mile to accommodate football fans.

“On the eve of the European Champions League the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine provided all consular offices with instructions to open as many ‘slots’ as possible in order to provide visas to all the football fans,” said Abravitova.

She said in order to accommodate the demands of football fans, they extended their business hours, processed visas manually by e-mail as well as accepting the visa applications from those applicants, who visited the consular section of the embassy without an appointment.

“The embassy issued 240 visas to the football fans for this particular event. Most of them were granted visas at least one week before their proposed departure to Ukraine,

“We can assure you that everyone who wants to travel to our country will be helped and will get any possible assistance.

“We look forward to hosting South African citizens in Ukraine’s capital,” she said.