Ferdinand Omanyala’s visa problems drew widespread attention in Kenya, where thousands struggle with the same issue.
Ferdinand Omanyala, 26, known as Africa’s fastest man, feared he would not be able to compete in this week’s World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore. — the most significant event in his sport after the Olympics.The African record holder from Kenya, one of the fastest sprinters of all time, was supposed to fly to the United States on Monday, giving him five days to settle in before his first 100-meter race.
Athletes from Kenya and across Africa have long faced trouble getting U.S. visas in a timely fashion, and Omanyala’s problems drew widespread attention in Kenya, where thousands often face far slower timelines for visas than athletes do.African athletes were given the option to fast-track their visa applications, but delays have been significant — some roughly six to eight months, Omanyala’s manager, Marcel Viljoen, told The Washington Post on Friday.
Omanyala’s delay sparked a reaction on social media, as Kenyans posted about the setbacks for athletes or their own waits — some taking the conspiratorial line that the United States was “deliberately” withholding the athletes’ visas, fearing that they would defeat their American competitors. Others, including students, complained about the uphill battle they face to enter the United States, without the fame of star athletes to help them advocate for faster processing.
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