Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has issued a statement on the events leading to the delay of his visa before he travelled for the World Athletics Championships held in Oregon, United States.
In a statement on Friday, the Africa 100 metres champion said that there was no one to blame for the events at the US embassy.
Omanyala said that they went for visa interviews as Kenyan athletes and after that he was sent some supplementary questions that needed clarification.
He, however, said that a day before the world championships, his visa was not ready.
“Like I said, there is no one to blame on my visa delay. We all as athletes went for visa interviews to the embassy. After that I was sent supplementary questions that needed clarification. But on Thursday, a day before my race, my visa was not out,” Omanyala stated.
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The 100 metres Africa champion, however, defended the government in the visa delay stating that it through its intervention that he later got his visa.
“It was through government intervention by the Ministry of Sports and Athletics Kenya that I got my visa. In fact the Ministry of Sports through CS Amb. Amina Mohamed were instrumental in my visa being granted once the issue was raised,” Omanyala stated.
According to a statement by Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei on Monday, July 18, Omanyala's visa delay was caused by an additional form that he was required to fill at the embassy.
Meanwhile, the Africa 100 metres champion failed to reach the finals in Oregon after finishing fifth in the semifinals on Sunday morning, July 17, to bow out of the world championships.
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