Sania Mirza’s son gets UK visa, thanks Sports Minister

Sania is due to travel to play a series of tournaments in England, including Wimbledon, ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games for the Olympics.

Hyderabad: Tennis star Sania Mirza heaved a big sigh of relief when she learnt that her son Izhaan and sister Anam had been granted visa to travel to the United Kingdom, thanks to efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian missions in United Arab Emirates and London and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Sania is due to travel to play a series of tournaments in England, including Wimbledon, ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games for the Olympics. For close to a fortnight, she was anxious as the visas for her son and sister were not coming through.

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Thanking the Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Sports Authority of India and Embassy officials in the UAE and in London, a relieved Sania said getting the visa would allow her to train and play freely. “Having a toddler and being a mother, it was very, very difficult with my job as I have to travel. Obviously with Covid-19 everything is becoming challenging. I’m so grateful to everybody who has put in effort, especially the Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Sports Authority of India and Embassy officials in London and UAE and the UK Government.”

“It was very difficult to leave five weeks without my toddler as I will be going to London and then to Tokyo,” she said. “Two months,as a mother and as a child, it would have been difficult.”

Sania said she always put in 100 percent effort while playing for the country. But without her son for too long would put her in discomfort. “It would have been a challenge as a mother to be far away so long. We are human beings as mothers, it is very, very difficult to stay away from your child. I have done it in the past but it was not more than ten days. I don’t want to take that risk. Now this would give me a peace of mind to go out there and compete. I have always given 100 per cent when it comes to the country or playing for the country which I always I do regardless of the circumstances outside the tennis court.”

The 34-year-old said the visa issue was bothering her for some time. “It gave me a little bit of anxiety. Now I will be taking my son along and my sister (Anam) to someone who will help me and take care of him when I’m training and playing. This would not have been possible without the sports minister’s and other officials’ help. I’m glad it came through,” she said.

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