Iranian judo and padel national teams have been excluded from upcoming international competitions after sports authorities in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait declined to issue entry visas to the delegations, Infobae reported.
Visa Denials Block Abu Dhabi Judo Competition
The Iran Judo Federation announced that its athletes will not travel to Abu Dhabi for the tournament scheduled for October 29 and 30, despite completing all registrations and logistical preparations. According to the state-backed ISNA news agency, the federation stated that visas were not issued to members of the team, shutting down participation in events that carry critical points for Olympic qualification standings.
Kuwait Blocks Padel World Cup Qualifiers
Simultaneously, the men’s and women’s padel teams of Iran were blocked from traveling to Kuwait for the World Cup qualifying matches, as reported by the Mehr news agency. With those regional qualifiers opening, the Iran Tennis Federation has petitioned the International Padel Federation for a special invitation to bypass the qualifiers and enter the World Cup directly in Qatar, though officials have not yet received a response.
UAE Suspends Iranian Flights Amid Regional Friction
The visa denials occur amid mounting bilateral and regional friction following a series of Iranian military strikes against Arab states during the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. In response to attacks on its territory, the United Arab Emirates severed commercial relations, trade exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran in August. On September 24, the UAE suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines, coming just one day after the United States enacted sanctions targeting 27 carriers from the country.
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