Courtesy-Mefu Sports
A British High Commission spokeswoman informed The Indian Express that the “case is now under consideration” a day after the sports ministry addressed the UK government with a visa request for Sania Mirza’s child, noting that the tennis player “cannot leave a two-year-old youngster behind as she travels for a month.”
Last month, the UK government placed India on its travel “red list” because of concerns about the new COVID-19 strain. Those traveling from countries on the “red list” must undergo tight quarantine and further testing. However, the UK border rule includes occupations that qualify for travel exemptions, such as rules for exceptional athletes.
Sania is slated to participate in grass-court tournaments in England during June, beginning with the Nottingham Open, followed by the Birmingham Open and the Eastbourne Open, before the Wimbledon. According to the government, while Sania has been given a visa to come to Nottingham, her son and his caretaker have not been granted UK visas due to Indian travel limitations.
The case might pave the way for moms with small children to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Previously, children traveled as a family member of a competitive athlete. The family may either remain outside the athletes’ village together, or moms might see their children during competitions and training. However, the border of Japan is blocked to foreign people from 159 countries “unless specific extraordinary conditions are established.”
USA Today columnist Nancy Armour wrote earlier this month: “IOC spokesperson Christian Klaue said that women athletes who want to bring their children to Tokyo will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, without providing detail on how that would be possible under Japan’s entry restrictions.”