Syria Olympic General Refused Visa for London 2012

June 22, 2012

Syria’s National Olympic Committee, General Mowaffak Joumaa has been refused a visa by British authorities denyng him the chance to attend the London 2012 Olympics, according to the BBC.
Mowaffak is regarded as a close friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been strongly criticised by the British government and other Western and Arab nations for a crackdown on an opposition movement seeking his overthrow.
The British Home Office (interior ministry) and Foreign Office declined to comment, saying they do not discuss individual cases.
Pressure has mounted over Joumaa’s attendance since Syrian opposition activists urged Britain to ban him.
Syria was expected to send four or five officials to the Olympics, including Joumaa, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) official has said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said in March any of the country’s officials covered by a European Union travel ban would not be welcome. He also said there would be no ban against Syrian athletes taking part.

Syria’s National Olympic Committee, General Mowaffak Joumaa has been refused a visa by British authorities denyng him the chance to attend the London 2012 Olympics, according to the BBC.

Mowaffak is regarded as a close friend of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been strongly criticised by the British government and other Western and Arab nations for a crackdown on an opposition movement seeking his overthrow.

The British Home Office (interior ministry) and Foreign Office declined to comment, saying they do not discuss individual cases.

Pressure has mounted over Joumaa’s attendance since Syrian opposition activists urged Britain to ban him.Syria was expected to send four or five officials to the Olympics, including Joumaa, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) official has said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said in March any of the country’s officials covered by a European Union travel ban would not be welcome. He also said there would be no ban against Syrian athletes taking part.