Athlete Is Short of ‘Extraordinary’ in Visa Bid

"An immigration case involving an Iranian table tennis player has raised question about exactly what status an international athlete must achieve before being granted preferential entry into the United States.  Is it enough to be the best in your own home country?  Or must you also be among the best in the world?  On Wednesday, a Federal District Court judge in New York affirmed a decision by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to deny an “extraordinary ability” work visa to Afshin Noroozi, 27, the first table tennis Olympian from Iran." - New York Times, Nov. 16, 2012.