British High Commission to appeal to MEA for RKFC coach Robertson

London, April 30 (IANS) Real Kashmir coach David Robertson’s ordeal may be nearing an end as the British High Commission is set to seek permission from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to ensure his transit to Amritsar.

Robertson has been keen to get back home to his mother Muriel in Aberdeen who is undergoing chemotherapy.

“I got a call yesterday from the British High Commission and they said they are going to now apply for transit permits with the MEA,” Real Kashmir co-owner Sandeep Chattoo told IANS on Thursday.

The British government has decided to organise special charter flights for airlifting its citizens stranded in India. But that hasn’t helped Robertson, his wife Kym, son and Real Kashmir defender Mason, along with English midfielder Kallum Higginbotham and members of the support staff, James Lindsay and Jonathan Craig, who are all stuck in Srinagar due to the nationwide lockdown.

“So after the call I am sure that things are moving now. They said that it will take upto four or five days to get the permission and then they can move him to Amritsar. There should be no issue of the hotel stay there and they will decide on which flight they will put them,” said Chattoo.

Besides the UK nationals, skipper Loveday Enyinnaya, Aaron Katebe, Bazie Armand, Gnohere Krizo are the four Africans who are also stuck. All of them are currently staying in Chattoo’s hotel in Srinagar.

“This is for six UK citizens in the team. After that we are left with four African players who will have to stay here until commercial flights resume I guess. They are here in my hotel which is the headquarters of the club and they are comfortable there,” he said.

Chattoo said that for now, the I-League club is honouring all contractual obligations towards their staff and can do little more than wait for things to normalise. “We are honouring all contractual obligations. We paid our staff and players according to the contract. Nobody can predict when the sporting activities will resume and the league will start,” he said.

–IANS

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