T&T senior women's team volleyballer Channon Thompson says she is running out of options with regards to her attempts to get a reply from the Government on an exemption request to return home from Germany.
Thompson, 26, said she has written exemptions request to the Ministry of National Security without receiving a response.
Last year, Thompson, the older sister of national swimmer Cherelle Thompson joined reigning German women's Bundesliga Volleyball champion club MTV Stuttgart from fellow German club, Rote Raben Vilsbiburg, but in early November she suffered a partial rupture of the plantar fascia and was forced to miss the rest of the season which was eventually called off in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since then, Thompson underwent surgery to her left plantar fascia (heel) and left knee and was being cared for by the club, however with her one-year contract expired following the conclusion of the interrupted season, Thompson found herself in a ticklish situation.
Speaking to Guardian Media Sports from Germany on Wednesday, Thompson, said with regards to her injury, "It's okay. But I haven't been able to receive any therapy for the last few months because my contract ended and the club cannot cover my insurance anymore."
She added, "The ending of the contract has also affected by the living situation because in the next few days I have to move out of the apartment they provided for me also because the new girls (players) for next season have already begun arriving here in Germany."
Facing a lengthy time on the sidelines due to her injury, Thompson says she has made previous attempts to get home during the coronavirus lockdown but with the T&T borders closed and it has been very difficult.
She lamented, "I've applied three times to get an exemption to come home and up to now nothing, and at this point, I'm living and safe because of the kindness of people around me.
"But it's unfair for them and stressful for me because my visa has also long expired, I have no source of income and I'm seeing the government has put something out about giving grants to citizens in the USA, United Kingdom and Canada, but I heard nothing about T&T nationals in Europe."
Asked if she has been in communication with the T&T Volleyball Federation (TTVF), Thompson, a multiple Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) "Most Valuable Player" and "Best Spiker" award recipient replied, "I reached out to TTVF delegate president Daymian Stewart as well as other TTVF members and they said they are trying their best but I have received little to no information."
Thompson noted that going public with her plight was not something she was comfortable with but the situation has become so traumatic she had no other option.
She said, " I didn't want to have to go to media because of course, I believe that they (government) are doing their best to mitigate the spread back home, but at the same time I'm here in a foreign country, on my own and can't even receive feedback on when I can leave.
"It's just tough as a national athlete to feel unsupported or cared for by the very country that you've represented for the past 13-plus years.
Thompson said, "I even tried leaving to go to another Caribbean country (Curacao) because the expense to live in Europe without a job is just too high, but after the ticket was purchased and I packed up my apartment and suitcases and went to the airport, I got to the checkout counter and the airline denied me from boarding because I did not have a ticket continuing to Trinidad."
Thompson said should she be provided with an exemption to return home she is ready because the next flight that is carded to depart from Europe is next week.
She said, "I have taken the COVID test (at my financial expense) twice over the last two weeks, just to continue ensuring I'm healthy and not at any risk in hopes to return home soon. I'm just wondering how come I still can't get an exemption. In my last conversation with the TTVF president Mushtaque Mohammed, he said that he knows about the situation but doesn't know how he can help."
Thompson also said fellow T&T volleyballer and national captain, 35-year-old Krystle Esdelle is facing the same plight as her contract with her Italian Second Division club has also expired.