Scrabble World Tourney: Visa Hurdle Hits Team Nigeria

Nigeriaâ€s hope of being part of this yearâ€s world scrabble championship, WSC, may not come to reality as the countryâ€s players and officials to the world tourney may not get entry visas to Poland, the host of the championship.

P.M Sports gathered from the General Secretary of Nigeria Scrabble Federation, NSF, James Eaknys, that the Polish Embassy in Nigeria is refusing to grant the players and their officials visa interview early enough to enable them be at the venue of the championship in due time.

Eaknys said while the NSF has approached the Polish Embassy for visas since 19 September, they only got a response letter via email from the embassy on 30 September, informing them that it will take 14 days to process the visas applications for the team. This will put the team in a tight corner as they will get the visas after the championship would have commenced in Poland.

President of the NSF, Engineer Toke Aka said: “It will be a national embarrassment should our players be denied the opportunity to represent the country at a major championship such as the Scrabble World Cup.”

He further revealed that the federation had planned to fly out the team on 9th October to Warsaw, Poland, for them to acclamitise.

The World Scrabble Championship runs from 12-16 October and Nigeriaâ€s10-man team are currently intensifying training in Abuja ahead of their trip to Poland.

—Bamidele Olowosagba