NATIONAL NEWS - The dreams of dozens of South African kickboxers, including 12 athletes from George, have been put on hold after visa appointment delays forced the national team to withdraw from the 2026 World Kickboxing Association's (WKA) World Championships in Maryland, USA, from 23 to 25 October.

In a message sent to the qualifying athletes, South African team representative and Kickboxing Organisation of South Africa (Kosa) president Sors Grobbelaar confirmed that the team would no longer be travelling to the United States. "The first available visa appointment in Cape Town is only on 26 October. This makes it impossible for us to attend the championships," he said.

He added that appointments in Johannesburg were also only available in October, while the routine visa services in Durban have been discontinued.

Grobbelaar told George Herald he was deeply disappointed by the situation. "It is heartbreaking for the athletes who have worked so hard to qualify. Many families have already paid deposits and started raising funds for the trip," he said.

Despite the setback, Grobbelaar said there is little time to dwell on the disappointment. "We have already reset. Our focus is now on preparing our athletes for the 2027 World Championships. The commitment and dedication shown by our fighters over the past year will not be wasted. We will come back stronger."

The visa challenges have been widely reported. According to SA People News, routine US visa services in Durban ended on 1 August, requiring applicants to travel to Johannesburg or Cape Town for interviews and processing. The publication reported that the changes form part of the US government's revised visa policies, resulting in longer waiting times and additional costs for South African travellers.

George Herald has approached the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sports, Ricardo Mackenzie, to enquire whether any intervention by the US Embassy might help secure earlier visa appointments. At the time of going to press, no response had been received.

While hopes of competing in the WKA's 50th anniversary championships have faded, George's kickboxing community has already shifted its attention to the future, as training continues and preparations for next year's international campaign are already under way.

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’