SPORTSMEN WERE NOT GIVEN VISAS

A1+
[05:37 pm] 18 October, 2007

The Armenian national box team is already in Chicago and is getting
ready for the 2007 World Championship on 23 October.

Hovhannes Danielyan (48kg), Derenik Gizhlumayn (51 kg), Vachagan
Avagyan (54 kg), Azat Hovhannisyan (57 kg), Hrachya Javakhqyan (60
kg), Eduard Hovhannisyan (64 kg), Andranik Hakobyan (75 kg), Tsolak
Ananikyan (81 kg) will participate in the Championship headed by the
chief coach Rafael Mehrabyan and coach Karen Aghamalyan. The Armenian
Box Federation informed "A1+" that the head of the delegation, the
first deputy of Federation Derenik Gabrielyan, as well as Suren
Ghazaryan, the only Armenian judge during the Championship will
leave on 20 October. The US Embassy did not give visas to Gabriel
Tolmajyan and Samvel Matevosyan. Both sportsmen had relatives in the
States and that served reason for the denial. The Championship was to
take place in Moscow, but the AIBA decided to change the place of the
Championship choosing Chicago. The National Team of Cuba refused to
participate in the Championship. They explained that foreign agents
bought their talented boxers by offering them attractive agreements.