Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa will not participate in the Club World Cup after his visa application to enter the United States was declined, attributed to a criminal complaint pending against him in Argentina, as confirmed by the club on Thursday.
In 2023, Costa accepted a probationary sentence to bypass a trial related to an aggravated robbery from 2018, which US authorities have determined he is still serving.
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Criminal charges are considered grounds for inadmissibility to the United States. This decision aligns with a wider initiative by the Trump administration to tighten visa regulations for certain visitors and students.
“We can confirm that Ayrton Costa will miss the Club World Cup with Boca,” a club representative stated to Reuters.
“The defender was scheduled to depart on Wednesday evening but was unable to secure the visa.”
The US embassy in Buenos Aires did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment outside of regular business hours, providing an automated reply instead.
Boca’s first match is against Portuguese team Benfica in Miami on Monday.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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