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Fagan turned away

  • 14-12-2007 10:57am
    #1
    Clum
    Registered Users Posts: 629 ✭✭✭


    Martin Fagan was refused entry to America on Monday after returning from Spain. Apparantly there's visa problems. Cliona Foley covers the story in today's Indo:

    Athletics: Fagan's US misery

    Ireland's Martin Fagan (151) leads the race during the early stages of the Senior Men's event at the European Cross Country Championships in Spain last weekend

    The US immigration clampdown has had disastrous consequences for one of Ireland's Olympic hopefuls Martin Fagan (24) who was refused entry to America after being one of Ireland's best performers at the European Cross-Countries in Spain last weekend.

    Fagan was hoping for Olympic qualification on his marathon debut in Houston on January 13 but that plan is now in tatters after he was not allowed re-entry into America at Philadelphia airport on Monday.

    Fagan has obtained a personal hearing with the American Embassy today to make his case and Athletics Ireland officials have already lobbied the Department of Foreign Affairs and US authorities to explain his unique circumstances as an elite athlete.

    Fagan, who narrowly missed out on a medal position at the European U-23s in 2005, has been based in the US for several years while on scholarship at Providence College, where he won an NCAA 10,000m silver medal in 2006.

    He graduated last summer and then moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to train with a new coach (Greg McMillan) with a group of US marathon runners, including Ryan Shay, who died tragically during the recent New York marathon.

    Fagan ran a 63.04 half-marathon in Boston on October 7 and looked in great shape when he placed seventh in the senior race at last weekend's Euro XC.

    But unless they have residency through work, study or marriage it is increasingly difficult for Irish athletes to train in America.

    They can apply for a special 'athlete's visa' but these reportedly cost $5,000 (€3,420) or more.

    Another Irish distance runner, Limerick's Liam Reale, was similarly refused re-entry to America last year and has since been based back at home.

    Reale is now sharing an Athletics Ireland house with several other full-time athletes on the DCU campus and AAI have offered Fagan this option, but as a marathon specialist this would not be ideal.

    Apart from everything else if Fagan fails to get back into America he also faces the problem of finding a suitable marathon for Olympic qualification and may have to target London in April instead.


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