Ghana water polo team's dreams of making history dashed by Italy visa rejection
By Aaron Benzoe, ITV News assistant news editor
A water polo team's aim of becoming the first side from Sub-Saharan Africa to compete in the sport's biggest tournament for children has had its dreams dashed, after Italy denied their players' visas.
The Ghanaian Black Star polo team had their request to enter Italy rejected, just days from the competition's start, their coach told ITV News.
The problems faced by the under-12 side shines a light on an equity problem in sport, as players from developing nations face hurdles travelling to compete on the world stage.
The team's dismayed coach, former pro water polo player, Prince Asante Sefa-Boakye, said the Italian Embassy in Ghana had raised concerns about the schoolboys' 'intentions' in entering the country.
“The back and forth started at the end of March or early April. Africans coming into their country and not returning," he said.
“You can call it what anyone would like to. I was just informed that the embassy was going to do their job and that is how the system is.
“They just don't want to risk kids not coming back. It's unfortunate but our kids have to pay the price for past mishaps - sadly it's understandable."
The Italian Embassy in Ghana said it had worked closely with the team to help process their applications, but stated they had not met rigorous EU standards for minors travelling to Europe.
Dreams dashed
ITV News has been following the team's efforts to get the boys to Italy.
In January, the HaBaWaBa tournament invited the Ghanaian team to play in the U12 category in Venice, from June 18-25.
The team were on track to be the first Sub-Saharan African team at the festival, the biggest children's waterpolo event in the world.
Mr Sefa-Boakye, who founded the team in 2018, told ITV News he wanted to change narratives about Black people and swimming.
Growing up playing the sport, the former water polo pro recalled often finding himself the only Black player in the pool.
He told GBC News, a Ghanaian TV network, that he did not want an institution where he would be the only Black boy in the water.
Mr Sefa-Boakye, from California, was driven to change the sport's outlook in his father's homeland of Ghana, where he retains deep connections.
He has founded a league in the country, where he hopes the sport will take root and spread more widely across African nations.
The 31-year-old has ambitions to develop Black Star league players to compete in the Olympics, where only two African countries - South Africa and Egypt - have so far entered men's water polo teams before.
But his U12 side have struggled first to access important travel documents from Ghana, and then from Italy, which is hosting the HaBaWaBa tournament.
Mr Sefa-Boakye raised more then USD $10,000 dollars (more than £7,800) to fund the U12 team's travel expenses.
The players needed to fundraise for passports, birth certificates, and some of the players' parents' death certificates.
But their experience encapsulates a rarely-discussed challenge that throws access to professional sport into sharp focus.
While in many parts of the world attaining birth certificates and passports is relatively straight-forward, the Ghanaian side struggled to secure the essential forms of identification they require to travel for the competition.
Multiple players did not have the documentation required to prove their identity to get passports.
Once their coach secured their travel documents, he faced another hurdle- convincing Italian authorities to give the team visas to enter the country.
Mr Sefa-Boakye was able to use the funds raised to purchase the essential documents for the ten boys competing in the U12 competition.
But just days away from competition, they were still in dialogue with the Italian Embassy over their travel visas, which had raised questions about the intention of their trip.
Mr Sefa-Boakye detailed a rigorous process for the players' parents applying for their sons' birth certificates.
He said the families were asked why they were making the decision to apply for birth certificates - and whether it was because of the opportunity to travel to Italy.
“It's a little strange when you're asking people that have access to the resources to have those documents but, again, it's just a reflection of the system,” Mr Sefa-Boake said.
The coach went to get an update from the Italian embassy in Accra, Ghana, this Wednesday, and was told to come back the following morning.
Mr Sefa-Boakye told ITV News the process had been frustrating.
“The way they have put us through these hoops, fiery hoops - it's ridiculous, really. We sent them everything in and they were very clear that they had reasonable doubts about the intentions of our trip.
“We submitted all the documents, the letter of invitation from the Italian Olympic committee, from the tournament, proof of funds, proof of accommodation and sponsorship, the flight ticket , and the affidavits by the Supreme Court.
"We have given them everything. They are still playing games.“
On Thursday, they were finally informed that their visa application was denied, after questioning ‘the intention of the travel.’
Mr Sefa-Boakye said: “It's the system, it's how it is, it's unfortunate, very unfortunate.
"We walk a very fine line because, from the jump, the embassy said 'we are going to do our job'.
“And not even just having the document but what it took to get the documents: the time, the stress, the energy, the money, bro…good gosh. I mean - it’s life."
Players' Italy visa applications declined
Responding to ITV News' request for comment on the decision to decline the Black Star Polo team's players' visas applications, a spokesperson for the Italian Embassy in Ghana said: "The examination of such requirements, necessary for each entry visa, becomes even more significant when dealing with minors, as in the current case.
"The investigation of the applications involved various Ghanaian and Italian sports institutions, with the proactive involvement of this Embassy to obtain all the necessary clarifications.
"To this same purpose, the management of the local team, which acted as applicant, was also provided with the possibility envisaged by the law to integrate documentation and elements suitable for the overall examination of the applications.
"However, the documents submitted by the applicants did not meet the EU visa Code requirements - clearly listed by this Embassy several times to the management of the local team and to the legal guardians of the applicants. On the contrary, the applications were supported by conflicting and unreliable information.
The statement continued: "The Italian Embassy in Accra reaffirms the priority given to the ties of collaboration between Italy and Ghana, in all sectors, including sports and is deeply committed to promote opportunities for the Ghanaian youth.
"Over the years, the Embassy of Italy in Accra has been supporting a number of young Ghanaian athletes. For example, Italy has been hosting the highest number of Ghanaian footballers outside of Ghana also thanks to the Embassy’s support and last year, we also supported a Ghanaian team of deaf volleyball female players.
"We confirm we are ready to work with Ghanaian sport authorities and teams to support sport exchanges and opportunities between our countries and, as a last information, we wish to underline that in the first five months of 2023, our Embassy issued almost 1,000 visas to Italy, nearly 250 more than in the same period of 2022."
The Black Star polo players are not the only athletes to have have faced issues with travelling to compete.
Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, also faced visa delays which almost cost him his race.
The top Kenyan sprinter was nearly forced to miss the 100 metre sprint World Championships in Oregon, last year, after he was initially denied a US visa.
But following an outcry - and just hours before the competition was due to begin- Omanyala's visa was approved by the US Embassy in Nairobi.
He told the Washington Post at the time: “It’s really disappointing, and I hope they do better next time… I know they are hosting the Olympics in 2028, so I really hope they learn from this and do much better next time.”
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