Visa mystery leaves Ridoy in limbo

Bangladesh's top table tennis player is clinging to hopes of a Monday flight to save his Asian Championships campaign, after a bizarre visa glitch left him stranded while his team travelled to Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is hosting the event for the first time. Three female players, two male players, a coach, and officials safely reached Tashkent on Saturday night. However, national number one Muhotasin Ahmed Ridoy was denied boarding by Air Arabia due to a mysterious black mark next to his name on an interior ministry document, despite having an fully approved visa and barcode.

"I was given a boarding pass like everyone else, but during the visa check, they saw a black mark on the paper and took the pass back," Ridoy said. "I prepared so much for this. It feels terrible."

Organisers had emailed the airline confirming his valid entry, but to no avail. The situation has now ruined the men's team event. Without Hridoy, teammates Ramhim Lian Bom and Javed Ahmed cannot compete, as three players are required. Flying out fourth-ranked Emon as a late replacement is also impossible due to tight schedules and entry rules. Ridoy's absence further jeopardises his mixed doubles pairing with Sadia Rahman Mou and men's doubles with Javed, as tournament draws are already being finalised.

Despite the chaos, Hridoy remains focused on reaching Tashkent in time. "The federation is trying, and the foreign affairs office opens on Monday, so we hope for a positive outcome," he explained. "If I fly on Monday, I will miss the team event, but I can still play doubles, mixed doubles, and singles events."