By Zoila Palma: The only member of Haiti’s national soccer team still based in the Caribbean nation is awaiting a U.S. visa as his teammates prepare in Florida ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Woodensky Pierre, a defensive midfielder who plays for Violette AC in Port-au-Prince, remains in Haiti while the rest of the 26-man squad trains abroad.
Pierre is the sole player on Haiti’s World Cup roster who lives and plays in Haiti, while the remaining 25 players compete in leagues across England, France, Portugal, Canada and the United States, ABC reports.
Haiti’s participation marks only the second World Cup appearance in the country’s history, with its only previous appearance taking place in 1974. According to Haitian soccer federation spokesman Thecieux Jeanty, nearly the entire 1974 squad was living and playing in Haiti at the time.
Pierre and nearly a dozen officials with the Haitian soccer federation are still waiting for U.S. visas as travel restrictions affecting Haiti continue to expand under the administration of President Donald Trump. Despite the uncertainty, Pierre continues training on a synthetic field in Pétion-Ville, Port-au-Prince, while hoping to join his teammates soon. Jeanty said Pierre is training “in hopes of being with his team as soon as possible.”
The player’s journey carries special significance given the crisis in Haiti. Pierre is from Cité Soleil, a violence-stricken seaside slum in Port-au-Prince that has long faced gang activity, hunger and repeated displacement. Haiti’s home stadium, located near Pierre’s neighborhood, has been deemed too dangerous for international competition, forcing the national team to play its World Cup qualifiers in Curaçao. Jeanty said Pierre’s participation is a source of pride for officials and the Haitian public, adding, “As you know, Haiti is in crisis.”
Haiti’s officials arrived in Florida on Sunday, with players beginning training in Port St. Lucie on Tuesday and additional players expected to join.
There remains time to resolve Pierre’s visa situation before Haiti’s warmup matches against New Zealand and Peru in South Florida.
Haiti opens World Cup play on June 13 against Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts, followed by matches against Brazil in Philadelphia on June 19 and Morocco in Atlanta on June 24.
The post International News: Haitian World Cup player awaits U.S. visa as team trains in Florida appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The only member of Haiti’s national soccer team still based in the Caribbean nation is awaiting a U.S. visa as his teammates prepare in Florida ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Woodensky Pierre, a defensive midfielder who plays for Violette AC in Port-au-Prince, remains in Haiti while the rest of the 26-man
The post International News: Haitian World Cup player awaits U.S. visa as team trains in Florida appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
