Gina Bass and five other elite Gambian athletes risk missing out on the Commonwealth Games due to visa delays. 

Bass and the other athletes – Ebrima Camara, Adama Jammeh, Alieu Joof and Sengan Jobe, Abdou Rahman Ceesay –

are stuck in France while they wait for their visas to be processed. 

They have been training for a year in Paris and some of them are due to compete as soon as Tuesday. 

The UK immigration department said the athletes visa applications are being processed.

A spokesperson said the visas were being processed, but it is not yet clear when the athletes will be able to travel.

However, Gambian officials have expressed their disappointment over the visa delays. 

Minister for sport Bakary Badjie said they are unclear why the visas had not been approved as the athletes had applied on time. 

Some members of the Gambian delegation had already travelled from The Gambia to Birmingham.

“We were hoping they would be here for the opening ceremony. One was meant to be our flag bearer. They’re some of our best athletes,” Mr Badjie told the BBC. 

They had been set to take part in the opening ceremony in Birmingham last week.