Bulgaria's Olympic Golden Medalist Ekaterina Dafovska was given a curt brush off at the US Embassy in Sofia, when applying for a visa to take part in the World Cup sprint in Fort Kent and Lake Placid.

It is said that the US migration officials have refused Dafovska an entry visa because of her husband and father-in-law who used to outdate their earlier visas for the Olympics at Salt Lake City when Ekaterina Dafovska swept the first winter Olympic gold for Bulgaria.

Bulgaria's Biathlon Federation has immediately contacted their counterpart federation in the United States, as well as the International Biathlon Federation.

Two other Bulgarian biathlon sprinters, Irina Nikulchina and Paulina Filipova, were granted US visas, but cancelled off their participation because "there is no use to go there now."

Bulgaria's Sports Ministry, as well as the Bulgarian Olympic Committee presided over by Ivan Slavkov, announced that they would personally engage with the scandal. It is completely unacceptable that the subjective attitude of several US officials stumbles over Bulgarian sports, Ivan Slavkov angrily commented the case.

Meanwhile, Ekaterina Dafovska and her fellow team sprinters are going to start at the Biathlon World Championship in the German ski resort Oberhoff.

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