The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has ordered a full investigation into the failure to secure visas for Sri Lanka’s national karate team, which resulted in the athletes missing the 23rd Asian Karate Championship in China.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the ministry said it regrets the incident and has directed a task force to determine how the failure occurred. The ministry emphasized that travel arrangements for international events, including visa processing and airfare, are the full responsibility of the relevant sports federation.
The athletes were scheduled to depart from Bandaranaike International Airport on Tuesday for the championship, which runs from Sept. 5 to 7. However, the team was unable to board the flight as the required visas had not been issued in time. The flight departed at 2 p.m., leaving the 29 qualified athletes unable to participate.
Each athlete reportedly paid Rs. 580,000 to the Sri Lanka Karate-Do Federation for travel and related costs. Federation officials had instructed the team to report to the airport, assuring them that the visas would be delivered that morning.
The ministry said disciplinary action may be taken against officials responsible for the lapse. It also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring all athletes and officials are supported through transparent and accountable processes. (Newswire)
