The Ghana Ju Jutsu Federation (GJJF) are expressing unrelenting anger at the conduct of the embassy of Switzerland in Accra for refusing to issue visas to athletes scheduled to travel to Latvia for the 2023 Combat Ju Jutsu world championship which concluded over the weekend in Riga.
The Ghanaian team have been preparing all year for the tournament organised by the International Ju Jutsu Federation (CJJIF) which involved a host of countries across the world.
This was preceded by the Africa Open tournament which was held in Accra in June.
The Local Organising Committe in collaboration with Latvia Immigration duly issued visa consents to all registered and accredited national teams, Ghana included.
Latvia, a country within the Schenghen enclave in Europe, with no working embassy in Accra, mandated the Swiss embassy to formally issue the necessary travel documents to accredited athletes and officials in order for them to make the trip to the 10-12 November competition.
Some winners on the podium after receiving their medals and certificates at the Combat Ju Jutsu world championship which took place in Riga, Latvia over the weekend
But in a strange turn of events, the Swiss embassy dragged their feet for weeks over the simple task of issuing visas already approved by Latvia Immigration, with the excuse that there was no convenient date to book appointments for the entire Ghanaian team.
In all, a total of 20 countries, among them, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, Peru, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, took part in the 3-day competition, but minus any of the accredited African teams.
Nigeria, Algeria and Benin, like Ghana, experienced similar rejection and as a result, no single country from this continent was represented at the world championship which ended on Sunday.
Ghana Ju Jutsu Vice President, Evans Bernie-Johnson presents prize to female winners of Team Nigeria during the Africa Open Ju Jutsu tournament which took place in Accra in July 2023
This development has left many of the African sides infuriated at the conduct of the Swiss embassy, not least Ghana Ju Jutsu Federation Vice-President, Evans Bernie-Johnson.
“These embassies don’t respect us Africans, meanwhile we are the same continent where they get a lot of our resources to boost their economies,” Mr. Bernie-Johnson fumed.
“These athletes have trained, morning, afternoon and evening and at the end, no tournament to participate in. It has already started having negative impact on their attitude towards training,” the Ghanaian Ju Jutsu chief added.
His Nigerian counterparts who also competed at the Africa tournament in Ghana were even fiercer in disgruntlement, demanding a reimbursement of their visa fees, the least of their time and money spent on the now failed endeavour.
Ghana’s Ishmael Lantei Lamptey on the podium to receive his bronze medal won in welterweight division of the 2021 Combat Ju Jutsu world championship in Kiev, Ukraine
“We lost so much money. Why did we pay 200 Euros for something that will not be respected? The President should ask them to refund that money,” said Micklem Emechete-Attoh, President of Combat Ju Jutsu Federation of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian team spent N6million (six million Naira) to attend the Ghana event as a pride of CJJIF. We showed that we can move by bringing even Benin Republic to join the train and some people thought we do not have a stake at CJJIF. They need to refund that 200 Euros please,” he added furiously.
International Ju Jutsu President, Vladyslav Shypinskyi was equally disappointed in the failure of the African teams to make it to Latvia for the global competition and has tasked African governments to collaborate more with the embassies to avoid these controversies in future.
“Dear friends, I support your indignation. We worked hard to hold the World Championships and to facilitate the arrival of participants from all over the world. When someone cannot come, it hinders our work and brings disappointment,” Mr. Shypinskyi said.
Sports Minister, Hon. Mustafa Ussif with ICJJF chief, Shypinskyi Vladyslav and some executives of Ghana Ju Jutsu Federation including Evans Bernie-Johnson, Maxwell Borquaye, Lucy Larteef
“The (Latvia) Immigration Service received the money and gave permission to enter. But embassies discriminate against teams from African countries and do not issue visas without explaining the reasons. This is extremely unfair and hinders the development of sports,” he continued.
“I think you need to contact the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of your countries so that they seek justice through diplomatic channels. It is also important to receive diplomatic support from the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the CCJIF chief urged.
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