De verontwaardiging omtrent deze beslissing is groot, zo leren ons de vele reacties op Twitter. Niet verwonderlijk natuurlijk, gezien het hier toch gaat om een professionele wielerwedstrijd en deze heren dus hun job komen uitoefenen. Onder meer de Nederlandse journalist Thijs Zonneveld en Kudus - die dus normaliter deel zou uitmaken van de Eritrese selectie - delen hun verontwaardiging.
Dit is nogal schandalig. https://t.co/Po9mxP8htC
— Thijs Zonneveld (@thijszonneveld) August 2, 2023
Sad!! @UCI_cycling @CyclingWorlds https://t.co/nsi4gFgvZD
— Merhawi Kudus (@MeraKudus) August 2, 2023
Biniam has spent 50 days racing in Europe this year plus more days training etc.
— Patrick Broe (@LanterneRougeYT) August 2, 2023
He competed in world champs in australia (strict visa process) and Canadian classics last year, again no issue.
Hopefully it’s a technicality that can be resolved quickly https://t.co/KjUflGhw3u
This has since been confirmed.
— Tim Bonville-Ginn (@TimBonvilleGinn) August 2, 2023
This is the most UK crap I have ever seen. They're professional athletes for god sake. What is the possible reason for the visas to be denied?
Honestly, I find myself being so embarrassed that I'm British. Utter shambles. https://t.co/rC9k6s3nFO
F***ing hell!
— Timo (@timolarch) August 2, 2023
Are you proud of yourselves UK?
Biniam Girmay is a hero to many Africans a role model and mighty fine professional road cyclist.
The UK is increasingly a nasty, little, international pariah state lead by proto fascists. https://t.co/IzenYxFZLN
This is so shameful. You're hosting 13 cycling *world* championships - and denying visas to elite pro cyclists? 4/7 Eritrean riders denied a visa, including Biniam Girmay, who in 2022 became the first Black African cyclist to win a Grand Tour stage. He could win the WC https://t.co/YCb9URZ2Fs
— Stuart Kenny (@StuartKenny) August 2, 2023
I can't believe this is happening in 2023... you should be ashamed @ukhomeoffice @RishiSunak https://t.co/g5SyxhkNwW
— Charles 🇲🇫🇱🇺 (@charlzerrs) August 2, 2023
Oh for fuck sakes UK, seriously? https://t.co/NHe9sqi6Sl
— Frane (@dratpirsna) August 2, 2023
This is utterly stupid and embarrassing. Girmay is an awesome cyclist, already lives somewhere much better for his career than cold, wet, Brexited (against, frankly, our will) Scotland, and would be an awesome world champion. @RishiSunak @SuellaBraverman sort yourselves out. https://t.co/hMG3k33LT8
— Rhona Briggs (@RhonaBriggs1) August 2, 2023
This is dreadful, UK government must reverse this decision https://t.co/cfnUqXDDSz
— Liz Wallace (@LizWallace58) August 2, 2023