Chinese consulate denies work visa to synchro swimmer

2004 Olympic Synchronized Swimmer Kendra Zanotto (who appears in Sync or Swim) was denied a work visa by the Chinese consulate to travel to Beijing as a  reporter for the Games.  Though the consute didn’t give a reason, the firm that had hired Zanotto told her that “the government was uncomfortable with the affiliation to Team Darfur.”  Team Darfur is a non-profit organization (co-founded by Olympic gold medalist speed skater Joey Cheek and UCLA water polo player Brad Greiner) as an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.  The organization’s mission was to bring attention to Darfur without calling for a boycott of the Games.  Kendra sent a letter of appeal to the colsulate last week.  No word yet on the liklihood of them reversing their decision.