Taken from the official Workington site ** May 2013 **
Unfortunately it is with regret that I need to let everyone know that the UKBA will not go back on their original decision to refuse my visa for 2013 due to the new rules which came into effect at the end of last year. The grounds of refusal are based on paragraph 245HB of the UK Immigration Rules which states: “(g) The applicant must not have had entry clearance or leave to remain as a Tier 2 Migrant at any time during the 12 months immediately before the date of the application” The grounds for my appeal were that we believed this rule was for when an application was being made to renew an expired visa . My visa was valid until 1/12/13 and the only reason we had to re-apply was due to the full transfer from Glasgow to Workington and we believed it to be just a formality so that the sponsor details could be changed on the existing visa. Apparently this is not the case and anybody who puts in an application for a Tier 2 Sportsperson Visa will be faced with these new rules. ( Even though several applicants this year have slipped through the system.) The whole process started in the UK at the beginning of January and has taken until now to be refused. To say that I am devastated is an understatement.
Well what needs to be done.....make the show slicker, prompt start times, less delays (if possible), more advertising (promoting), better music, clean stadiums and toilets would also help......in short dragged up to date....most of which costs money....were all doomed, doomed a tells tha!!
Well PC probably didnt expect this much attention from the article in the SS but from a guy who has been there and done it (!!) he gets my admiration and thumbs up for the item.
I was impressed by the young girl in the Wheelchair (Cockcroft?), A P McCoy the Speedway riders equivalent ("i said to the wife dont tell anyone i,m injured"....punctured lung, broken sternum and ribs ) and the humbling speech by the Basketball coaches from Manchester.
I do not like Cricket but have been listening to some of the comments from Geoff Boycott. about Englands recent Ashes display its great listening, should be more like him in sport, tells it like it is.
I read in the Daily Mail somethiong along the lines of "its a nice Trophy to have but a sportsman/woman would rather have a British/world or Olympic medal" ....