US reportedly refuses travel visa to Russian Wrestling Federation President for championships in Las Vegas
The United States has refused to issue a travel visa to Mikhail Mamiashvili, President of the Wrestling Federation of Russia, according to the organization's website. Mamiashvili was due to travel to Las Vegas, where the World Wrestling Championships will take place between September 7 and September 12. The event also serves as the first qualifying event for the 2016 Olympic Games, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“Visa support for participants and officials is one of the basic conditions for organizing the world championships in any sport,” Russian Wrestling Federation Secretary Georgii Bryusov said. [...] “I'm sure that the US Wrestling Federation did everything it could to solve this visa issue, but it must be said that politics once again has beat out sports and common sense.”