Saudi Arabia to play in LL World Series

A Saudi Arabian team will compete at the Little League Baseball World Series in place of a Ugandan team the US State Department blocked from entering the US last week, officials said Tuesday.

The Ugandan youth baseball team was set to become the first African team to compete in the Little League World Series, which begins Aug. 18 in Williamsport, Pa., until the State Department rejected its visa applications citing discrepancies.

The Saudi Arabian team finished second to the Ugandan team at the Middle East and Africa Region tournament.

In a statement Tuesday, Little League International said it was sorry that the Ugandan team would not be able to compete, but said another team was needed to round out the 16-team field.

"It is unfortunate that the kids from the Rev. John Foundation Little League in Uganda will not have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of participating in a Little League Baseball World Series," said Stephen Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer of Little League Baseball and Softball.

"However, the tournament committee met and determined, in order to have a 16-team field, we would extend the invitation to the Arabian-American Little League."

The annual Little League World Series features eight US teams and eight international teams. The championship game pits the US bracket winner against the champion of the international bracket.