The Chinese Embassy Sets the Record Straight on Visa Delay Claims for Nigerian Athletes
China Addresses Delay in Issuing Visas for Nigerian Olympic Relay Squad
The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has publicly refuted allegations of delaying visas for Nigerian athletes planning to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The embassy claims the issue stemmed from a misunderstanding concerning visa processing timelines.
Originally, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) pinned their team's withdrawal from the competition, scheduled for May 10-11, 2025, on visa issues with the Chinese authorities.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Chinese Embassy expressed regret for the athletes' absence but emphasized its swift and proactive approach in assisting the Nigerian National Sports Commission when they requested help with visa processing.
According to the statement, the Embassy received a letter from the National Sports Commission dated 22 April, and it immediately communicated and guided this commission to prepare the essential materials for the expedited visa application. On May 6, the China Visa Application Centre received these materials from the Nigerian athletes themselves. The embassy acting accordingly, activated the expedited procedure, offered maximum assistance to the applicants, and managed to issue visas by May 8.
The Chinese Embassy reiterated its dedication to fostering collaboration between the two nations in sports and people-to-people exchanges. The statement also clarified that visa processing is subject to national sovereignty, requiring proper documentation and reasonable timeframes consistent with international standards.
The Embassy pointed out its history of proactively supporting sports cooperation between China and Nigeria, repeatedly welcoming Nigerian athletes to participate in events in China and consistently handling visa applications efficiently and professionally. Furthermore, it emphasized that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty, and all foreign embassies require applicants to provide the relevant documentation and materials, as well as adhere to reasonable timeframes for the application process.
Despite the disappointment felt by the Embassy due to the athletes' non-participation, it described the AFN's claims as inconsistent with the facts. The Embassy reaffirmed its willingness to support future sports collaborations between China and Nigeria.
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- Nigeria's athletic community will likely look forward to a smoother visa process in the future, as the Chinese Embassy in Abuja has emphasized its commitment to fostering sports collaboration between the two nations and consistently handling visa applications efficiently and professionally.
- In a surprising turn of events, the upcoming Nigerian general election, set to take place in Naija soon, may be overshadowed by the controversial claims involving the Chinese Embassy and the delay of visas for athletes planning to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Relays.
- Although the Chinese Embassy successfully issued visas for the Nigerian athletes planning to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Relays, the political landscape in Nigeria is heating up as China provides coronavirus treatment guidelines to the Nigerian government, adding another layer of complexity to China-Nigeria relations amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
