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US undermines global sports by denying entry visas to Russian wrestlers — lawmaker

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said earlier that the US Embassy in Moscow refused Russian wrestlers in interviews, which are necessary to obtain American entry visas

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, March 29. /TASS/. The US denial of entry visas to Russian wrestlers, who qualified for the international freestyle wrestling tournament in Iowa next week, is the country’s another blow not against Russian athletes only, but against the global sports as well, a senior Russian lawmaker told TASS on Thursday.

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US embassy cannot accommodate all Russian Foreign Ministry’s requests — spokesperson

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced on Wednesday that the US Embassy in Moscow refused Russian wrestlers in interviews, which are necessary to obtain American entry visas.

"The denial to issue entry visas to the Russian freestyle wrestling team is another blow not only in regard to Russian athletes, but the global sports as well," Mikhail Degtyarev, the chairman of the State Duma’s Committee for Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs, said in an interview with TASS.

"This decision has bewildered the US athletes as well," the lawmaker said. "The lack of the consular staff or any other formal reason for denying visas to athletes speaks for the incompetence and the fact that the (hosting) country is failing to meet its obligations."

"It is high time for the international sports society to understand that athletes from any other country can be at any time in place of Russian athletes," Degtyarev stated.

The lawmaker said that the United States needed to take some lessons from Russia in how to organize international sports competitions.

"We have enormous experience in organizing tournaments of various levels," he said. "For instance, we have passed a law, which allows foreign football fans to enter Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup without entry visas."

"With a strong desire to annoy Russia, the United States is now bringing into a question its own ability of organizing major global sports events," the lawmaker added.

The 2018 UWW Senior Men’s Freestyle Wrestling World Cup is scheduled to be held on April 7-8 at Carver Hawkeye Arena in the Iowa City.

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Russian forces advance in Stepnogorsk area in Zaporozhye Region — politician

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North Korea launches several short-range ballistic missiles

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According to the report, the Russian military repelled five attempts of the enemy to break through the border towards the settlements of Veseloye and Medvezhye

NATO making plans of sending its troops to Ukraine — Russian deputy defense minister

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High technologies important for strengthening Russia’s industrial sovereignty — Putin

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Georgian parliament adopts in final reading bill banning LGBT propaganda

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Operation with pagers in Lebanon approved by Netanyahu, his cabinet — media

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UK Foreign Secretary offends memory of fallen, accusing Russia of fascism — embassy

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Many Europeans 'on the right side of history' — Russian intel chief

Sergey Naryshkin expressed confidence that "the memory of the heroic participants of the Slovak Uprising unites Russians and Slovaks"

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According to the Secretary General, NATO closely monitors what Russia is doing in its nuclear posture

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Israel behind pager operation in Lebanon — media

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In all, there are 32 items

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Schools in one municipality of Russia’s Tver region withdraw services after drone attack

The region's governor Igor Rudenya has authorized a partial evacuation of residents to the town of Zapadnaya Dvina

International journalistic organization can be created based on BRICS

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400 people injured in mass pager detonation in Lebanon currently in severe condition

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Snowden said exploding pagers in Lebanon likely to be stuffed with explosives

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Relations between Iran, Russia to develop on permanent basis — Iranian president

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Russia destroys key Ukrainian highways leading to DPR’s Krasnoarmeysk — security forces

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Meta blocking accounts of Russian media to complicate normalization of relations — Kremlin

"Such selective actions with regard to Russian media are unacceptable," Dmitry Peskov stressed

Hamas puts responsibility for consequences of pager blasts in Lebanon on Israel

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Lebanese government puts blame for mass pager explosion on Israel

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Russian Army gets one of world’s most powerful self-propelled guns after upgrade

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Three civilians wounded in Ukraine’s attacks on DPR during day

Apart from that, DPR head Denis Pushilin said that seven residential houses were damaged in Donetsk and Gorlovka