Rocco Repetto is one of the participants in the Hero Indian Open, a DP World Tour event being played from this Thursday at the ever‑peculiar DLF Country Club in New Delhi. Though nothing is as peculiar as his situation. His name appears clearly on the European Tour website’s entry list, but at the time of writing this story he has no option to play. The Málaga native is in Hong Kong trapped in a bureaucratic cul‑de‑sac for which, for the moment, there is no way out.
The problem for Rocco is that India, the country, has refused him an entry visa on three separate occasions. As often happens in these matters, there is no official explanation, so the feeling of helplessness and frustration is enormous. The player has pulled every string he can and is in Hong Kong waiting for good news.
The DP World Tour was the first to make itself available to try to sort this out. In addition, they have called on a trusted contact in the Asian country for help. They will spare no effort. He is doing everything possible to get him into the country and allow him to play the tournament. Beyond the uncertainty and the discomfort of finding himself in such a Kafkaesque situation, what is happening has an even worse consequence. If he is ultimately not authorised to enter, Repetto will miss an event on the calendar that could be decisive in achieving any of the objectives set for this year.
The worst aspect of Repetto’s situation is the lack of understanding. No one can explain why his visa is not being granted, when none of the other Spaniards have had problems. It is known that India places many difficulties on granting visas to people born in China, but Spaniards had never previously had problems.
Be that as it may, Rocco, who comes off the back of a very good week at the Hainan Classic, trusts the matter can still be resolved in the coming hours. He has until Thursday to find a solution, travel and tee off on the 1st. In the meantime, his caddie Gonzalo Vicente is already in New Delhi to get work underway and prepare the strategy in case there is finally a green light.
This is one of those other stories that play out day to day in sport
