KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Mohd Hafiz Hashim can rest easy now. His application for a visa to enter United States for the World Championships in Anaheim, California has been approved.

The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur called the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) office yesterday to convey the good news.

BAM secretary Gangga Rao said Hafiz's visa will be ready for collection next week.

“Hafiz has already submitted his passport for visa application. The embassy informed us today that his visa would be ready by next week,” said Gangga.

He was confident there would not be any issue with the visa processing for the Malaysian players and coaches.

“BAM had also forwarded an official letter from the Youth and Sports Ministry to help Hafiz get his visa.

“The country is hosting the world meet for the first time and the embassy may need to relay information to the state department, hence the waiting period.”

Hafiz was the only player out of the 21-member squad without a visa for the trip until Thursday.

The world meet will be held in United States for the first time from Aug 15-21 and the Malaysian team were due to leave in two batches from Aug 11.

Hafiz had applied for his visa together with the rest of the team at the embassy last Thursday.

The others were informed of their successful application, except for the 22-year-old and Wong Choong Hann. However, Choong Hann got the clearance for his visa on Tuesday.

Hafiz said he is looking forward to competing with the rest of the Malaysian team in Anaheim.

“I can now focus on my preparations without any doubts in my mind,” said the 2003 All-England champion, who will be making his second appearance in the world meet.

National head coach Yap Kim Hock said Hafiz need not worry now that he has got his visa.

“Hafiz can look forward to competing with the rest of the Malaysian team in Anaheim. I hope his mind will be at ease now.”

Besides Hafiz and Choong Hann, the other men's singles players is national number one Lee Chong Wei.

The others in the squad are doubles players Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui, Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock and Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng; women singles players Wong Mew Choo, M. Sutheaswari; and the women's doubles pairs of Mooi Hing Yau-Ooi Sock Ai, Fong Chew Yen-See Phui Leng and Lim Pek Siah-Chor Hooi Yee.

Three non-BAM players – M. Sutheaswari (women's singles), Lim Pek Siah and Ang Li Peng (women's doubles) have also qualified for the world meet. They are competing in a tournament in New Zealand and will fly straight to the US from there.

Grats to Hafiz. O, sorry I didn't know that Indonesia was 90% muslim. Plus, I made the mistake of thinking that Hafiz was on the indonesian team rather than the malaysian team. All in all, I hope that Hafiz puts up a good show for the all the badminton fans. Same with all the other players too !

I hope he will do well. He is drawn together with the toughest players in the grp. Wish he can upset some top seeded players.

Got eliminated without playing one game. Surprised that Iranian players got thru tho.
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Pakistan to miss World Badminton C’ship due to US visa process

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan badminton team’s dream to participate in the World Badminton Championship, starting in California from August 15, was shattered on Tuesday when the USA Embassy in Islamabad told them that the visa process could take four to six weeks in getting clearance from the State Department.

It is pertinent to mention here that Wajid Ali and Umer Zeeshan have qualified for the double’s event of the week-long World Championships for the first time in country’s history after improving their international rankings. The top ranking Pakistani pair has automatically qualified for the round of 16 after getting bye in the first round and was to play against Denmark. While another pair comprising Tahir Ishaq and Waqas Ahmed was to appear in the qualifying round of the championship. Usman Afridi and Wasim Butt were to accompany the team as manager and coach respectively.

The embassy officials called only Wajid and Umer on Tuesday for an interview and told them that they would be granted visa in a month’s time after getting clearance from Washington DC. Thus, the Pakistani shuttlers asked for their passports as there was no use of the visa after a month’s time.

Badminton-Heathrow strikes disrupt England squad's travel plans
Saturday August 13, 04:12 AM

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - England's travel plans to the world badminton championships in California have been thrown into disarray by the strikes that have crippled Heathrow Airport.
The squad, including Olympic mixed doubles silver medallists Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms, were due to leave together on Friday ahead of Monday's start of the tournament in Anaheim.

"They will be going in dribs and drabs on Sunday and Monday from Gatwick," said a team spokesman.

The delay could spell complications for organisers in the U.S., particularly if other squads happen to be routing through Heathrow. Some competitors could be faced with the prospect of having to play on the day they fly in.

The last world championships in England in 2003 were postponed for two months because of fears over a SARS outbreak which hit Asia.