The Sports Ministry has sought intervention of the External Affairs Ministry to get a visa for tennis star Sania Mirza`s two-year-old son to travel with her when she goes to England for several tournaments ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Sania is scheduled to compete in the Nottingham Open (from June 6), Birmingham Open (from June 14), the Eastbourne Open (from June 20) and the Wimbledon (from June 28).

Sania has been granted a visa but her son and his caretaker have not received UK visas owing to current travel restrictions on Indians due to a surge in coronavirus cases in India. "Sania, who is a part of the Sports Ministry`s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), approached the Ministry requesting for help with the visa of her son and his caretaker. Sania stated that she cannot leave a two-year-old child behind as she travels for a month," the ministry said in a release.