..as expected, a lot of the players are coming down from the Canada Open..haven't looked this good & loaded in terms of the quality of players & participation in a long while..let's hope all of them don't cancel at the last minute..
As far as I know they are not coming: Hendra S, Kido,Vita. Lita,Alvent/AG.. The reason is the boss of Bonanza ( if I am not wrong) is supposed to sponsor them but I think they are not coming so INA players as well.. Kido/Hendra and Vita, Lita will be going to Macau but not Taipeh Open.. Just reminded them to call PBSI to withdraw their names before deadline.
..speaking of which, is master kwun planning to come down south and follow the U.S. Open this yr (part of the weekend)??..got a pretty good list of participants...
hmm, I e-mailed my credit card info about 10 days ago but had no response so far. Does that mean there is a problem?
biomik, please contact (email or call) OCBC to resolve further inquiry on your purchase/transaction..
It is possible that emails would go to their junk-mail folder. Sending credit card information through email is not secured. Perhaps they can utilize easy online payment like Paypal.
Taufik is withdrawing from US Open as his visa has not been issued by US embassy since he applied last April....despite he had been here for few times...They could not get the answer why US Embassy in Jakarta has not issued it yet... This issue has been in some of BWF's mind and others... If US wanted to have Super Series..I think US Badminton needs to press US Immigration how to process the visa faster and on time... Especially next year is the qualification for Olympic...it wont be fair as some players from certain countries may not get the visa to play...then BWF has to do something ..like WTA or ATP did on Middle East's tour when they did not give visa to Israeli's players..( Indonesia issued the visa for Shahar Peer to come to Bali for WTA event, eventhough INA has no relationship with Israel)
OMG....that's terrible news....all Taufik want to do is to familiriaze badminton in US soil and he didn't even get visa......that's obviously sensitives issues for players.....hope BWF can do something abt this.....sooner rather than later.......
..it is strange & unfortunate (for the U.S. fans who are waiting to see him play) indeed. Last yr, if he applied at the same time and got approved on time, i don't know why he didn't get his visa approved this time. Yet, he's playing in the Canada Open (lucky folks up in Canada)...and i was ready to roll out my camcorder and interview him..
if it is true that he applied in April and couldn't get it by now I would write a letter from OCBC and USA Badminton to State Department with protest - most likely it is some incompetent staff at the Embassy and their bosses in Washington should know about their job performance
Yes..it is true...even his manager told me she kept calling everyday and US Embassy wont give her the answer... I know for sure some will write to Paisan to urge this matter...been told that visa application can be faster like 2 weeks..but 3 months??
Chris..you can not aply if your visa is not expired yet...Remember that TH got 5 yrs visa since he came to WC in 2005... Also if you want to apply...you have to make sure you buy ticket...how he could buy ticket and plan in a year?? thats not logic.. 3 months are long enough to apply any visas...it is easy to criticize him not to apply a visa way earlier..who would know US wont issue it yet since he has been in US for last 5 years...
I don't think that's what Chris meant. He was saying that Taufik went through this process before, last year, and the visa was approved, presumably with no problem. In other words, if the U.S. authorities approved it last year, in what should have been a similar process, why didn't they do so again this year? This is not a criticism of Taufik. Ah, but you are now saying that he did not go through this process last year before going for the 2009 U.S. Open, but rather just returned to the U.S. on the same 5-year visa he received in 2005? Okay, that complicates things.
you can only criticize stupid bureaucrats from the Embassy - not processing visa for Olympic champion on time so he can come and promote badminton here! Maybe some kids could have been inspired enough to grow up agile and athletic not obese and idle watching video games and eating nachos
even if you have been granted a visa before and been here a million times ..... there is no guarantee you would get a new visa. the same thing for countries that doesn't require a visa to enter the u.s. ...... it is not a guarantee you'll be allowed in at your point-of-entry. the same goes for u.s. residents and citizens visiting overseas ..... although highly unlikely but it is still not a guarantee .... i know it is unfortunate but that's the world we live in now ....
i just saw the news below from badzine .... ocbc said "a last-minute arrangement for a visa has been made" .... so i guess everything is good now http://www.badzine.info/index.php/news/newsflash/2619-yonex-ocbc-us-open-no-visa-for-taufik.html
Picture getting clearer.. ..that link doesn't seem to work (article not found). I got this link instead. It's still a no-go for Taufik.. http://www.badzine.info/index.php/n...bc-us-open-taufik-to-head-west-not-south.html I checked with one of the persons in charge @ OCBC and the person doesn't seem to know also/has any confirmation either way.. I think for now, it's a no-go for Taufik.. - Okay, now it's clear. I didn't know he had a 5 yr visa. I thought he applied for a visiting visa (like last yr). - No one is suggesting he should plan a yr in advance...at least not me...i don't know why mentioned that??.. - Nah, i don't think anyone is criticizing Taufik for not re-applying/renewing his visa way earlier...not me, at least.. Please read carefully (and slowly) what i wrote, otherwise, there could be another unnecessary misunderstanding & would need event's intervention to explain what i meant..
