Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1989. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bridge player with ARC denied Australian visa
San Francisco Chronicle - Friday, September 8, 1989
Elaine Herscher, Chronicle Staff Writer
A world-class bridge player from San Francisco said yesterday that he is being denied entry into Australia for an international tournament because he has AIDS-related complex. Peter Pender, a member of the U.S. team that will be competing in Perth on September 19 for a world championship, said he received word yesterday that the Australian minister of immigration had denied him a visa based solely on his medical condition. Australian officials could not be reached for comment, and it was not clear what the country's policy in concerning travelers with AIDS-related conditions. Pender said he was not informed of any policy when he got the call from the Australian Consulate in San Francisco, only that his ARC diagnosis was the reason. He said he was determined to enlist the help of politicians and the national community of bridge players to be allowed into the country. "I'm going to get to Australia if I have to swim and crawl up on a beach," he said. Pender, 53, the owner of Fife's Resort in Guerneville, said he first got the attention of the Australian Consulate after a local columnist reported that he had missed an international tournament in 1987 after told he had ARC. At that time, Pender said, he was too depressed about his diagnosis to compete. Last week, the consulate called him in for an interview and insisted that he get a complete physical exam and a note from his doctor that he was well enough to travel. He cooperated, even answering questions about his sex life in the past eight years. Despite the fact that the HIV virus can be transmitted only through blood products and sexual contact, the Australian government turned him down. "It's absolutely inane," said Pat Christian, acting director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "Playing bridge is not a high-risk activity." Pender said he feels fit and is eager and determined to make the trip. He plans to speak to AIDS organizations in Australia and has enlisted the help of avid bridge-player Representative Robert Kastenmeier, D-Wis., who asked the Australian ambassador to intercede.
Keywords: AUSTRALIA; BRIDGE; AIDS; GAMES; PASSPORTS; BAN; SF; FOREIGN; PETER PENDER
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