Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that he is “taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately, due to the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner” on Saturday. Immediately, ahead of Duke’s Final Four matchup against Florida, Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach’s citizenship became a subject of discussion.
CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah condemned Rubio’s actions for making America unsafe for players like Maluach.
Jeyarajah took it a step further, questioning what it could mean for athletes in other sports like Lakers star Luka Doncic and Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
“Seriously though, the fact that the visa of a starter for Duke was canceled hours before the biggest game of his life is *surreal*,” Jeyarajah wrote.
“How does it impact American sports if the best athletes in the world can’t be confident they’re safe in the US?
“What happens if Luka or Ohtani are the victims of a geopolitical conflict and consider playing in Spain or Japan instead because they don’t trust their visas?
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
“How does it shift the consumption market if the best players go somewhere else? How does it impact US cultural power?”
It’s still unclear what Maluach’s future with Duke, or in America, will be.
As for Doncic and Ohtahni, realistically, Los Angeles’s government would protect just about anyone’s citizenship. Let alone two of the most talented and highly-compensated players in sports. They’re not likely to leave for any alternative considering the financial stakes.
Not every jurisdiction functions that way, though. While those examples are far-fetched, there are scenarios where these worries are justified.