US Basketball player held for visa violation

  • 2008-10-24
  • TBT Staff in cooperation with BNS
RIGA - U.S. Basketball player Tyrone Brazelton, who played in Latvia for Ventspils, has been held at the border for working in the country without holding the proper permit.

Kristine Petersone, a representative of the State Border Guard, told the Baltic News Service that the 22-year old athlete has been presented an administrative offenseprotocol for working without permit in Latvia, and that he might face afine of 100-500 lats (142-711 euros).

The management of the club, meanwhile, is facing administrative sanctionsfor hiring the U.S. citizen without the working permit.

Ralfs Pencis, chief manager of the Ventspils club, declined to give morecomments on the case at first, saying it was necessary to wait for theoutcome. Later the club informed that Brazelton receive a work permit onOctober 6, but the protocol has been drawn up for the time betweenSeptember 23 and October 6.