Canada Open GP: Indian shuttler Sameer Verma forced to withdraw due to visa issue

New Delhi: Fit-again Indian shuttler Sameer Verma was left disappointed after he was forced to withdraw from next week’s Canada Open Grand Prix badminton tournament after failing to get visa on time. “I have withdrawn from the Canada Open GP as I couldn’t procure my visa in time, really disappointed as I was really looking forward to play at Calgary,” Sameer wrote on his facebook page. [caption id=“attachment_3299400” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sameer Verma. Image Courtesy: Twitter/@pblindialive[/caption] “As international athletes, I think we shouldn’t be facing visa issues but again it is not something which I could do about it, will be playing US Open GPG next week, looking forward to another week of training before I leave.” Canada Open is scheduled to be held from 11-16 July, while the US Open Grand Prix Gold will be held from 19-23 July. A former National champion Sameer, who had reached the finals of 2016 Hong Kong Super Series and clinched the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold this year, had suffered a shoulder injury and couldn’t participate at Indonesia and Australia Super Series last month. “It has been a couple of tough months for me, had to withdraw from the Indonesia and Australia Open due to a shoulder injury. After about 6 weeks of rehabilitation, I am back on court,” he wrote. Interestingly, Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap, HS Prannoy and N Sikki Reddy had to request the Ministry of External Affairs and Sports Ministry to receive their passports on time to travel to Canada. Earlier, ahead of the Indonesia Super Series, shuttlers faced similar problems and it was only after their social media outcry that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) stepped in and the players received their passports just a day before they were scheduled to leave for Jakarta.