Spat over visas for Indian Asian Games athletes sparks diplomatic row between New Delhi and Beijing

By DAVID RISING
Associated Press

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — A long-standing border dispute between India and China has left three Indian martial arts competitors stranded at home and unable to make it to the Asian Games in Hangzhou while sparking a diplomatic row Friday between the two countries. The three women wushu athletes are from India’s eastern Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety. Unlike the rest of India’s athletes competing at this year’s games who were given Asian Games badges that also serve as visas to enter China, the three were given visas stapled to their passports and refused to accept them. India accused China of violating both the spirit and the rules of the games.