The Indian Weightlifting Federation has decided to withdraw Charu Pesi's name from the World Championships
The decision was made after Chinese authorities denied giving a normal visa to Charu and offered a staple visa
Senior World Weightlifting Championships will start on October 24 in Ningbo
Indian Weightlifter Forced To Pull Out Of World Championships After Stapled Visa Row With China
India has withdrawn weightlifter Charu Pesi from the Senior World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo after Chinese authorities indicated he would be issued a stapled visa. The Indian Weightlifting Federation took the call after consulting government officials, who said India does not recognise stapled visas for Arunachal Pradesh residents. The championships begin on Oct 24.
Summary
The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) has decided to withdraw weightlifter Charu Pesi's name from the Senior World Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo. The development comes after the Chinese authorities have stated that he would be given a stapled visa to compete in Ningbo, directly questioning India's sovereignty.
Pesi, who is an athlete from Arunachal Pradesh, takes part in the men's 65kg division, and the championships start on October 24.
This development turns yet another sporting event into a new flashpoint between India and China. According to the Times of India, the visa issue arose when the Indian team was going through the procedures for travelling to Ningbo. As a result, Pesi has lost his position at a major world event due to the disagreement.
The remaining players from the Indian side are still to travel; an eight-member Indian team headed by Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu is scheduled to take part in the event in Ningbo, the visas for the rest of the team still being processed.
Visa Undertaking Dispute
The situation regarding the visa developed rapidly. According to report, the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASS) in India requested the Indian Weightlifting Federation to give a commitment stating that Pesi would accept the visa.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation then went to consult some government officials, who stated that India does not recognise the visas stapled by China for residents of Arunachal Pradesh.
The decision was the deciding one; afterwards, the federation decided not to send Pesi to the championships in Ningbo.
What Is Stapled Visa?
A visa that is stapled is different from a normal one in that rather than having a passport stamp it is printed on a separate sheet of paper.
For India this is not merely a procedural matter; Beijing's practice of issuing stapled visas to the residents of Arunachal Pradesh shows that it refusess to recognise India's sovereignty over the region.
Advertisement
India has for a long time opposed that practice since it sees stapled visas as a threat to its territorial integrity.
It is not an isolated case. In July 2023, stapled visas were granted to three wushu athletes from Arunachal Pradesh—Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu—for the Summer World University Games in Chengdu.
India objected to that action and at the same time pulled its whole wushu team out of the event.
The matter came up again at the Hangzhou Asian Games that same year, when the athletes encountered difficulties with entry and accreditation and thus were unable to take part.
Setback For Pesi
The effect on Pesi is immediate since the world championships would have provided him with valuable international exposure through competition at the top level.
The situation was involved not just in the matter of match practice; the ranking points on offer at the event are important in the race to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Advertisement
For the athlete weighing 65kg, the visa issue has now ruled out both the opportunity to compete and the possibility of gaining points at this important stage.
Published At: