ANNE Snelgrove is fighting to help a wrestler whose asylum seeker status is jeopardising his chances of representing Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics.

Aman Sakhizadeh, 19, of County Road, is British Junior Champion and was part of London's successful Back the Bid campaign, for the 2012 Olympics.

But Home Office hold-ups could stop him from travelling abroad for competitions that are vital if he is to be selected for the Olympic Team.

South Swindon Labour MP Mrs Snelgrove recently met with Aman, pictured, who fled Kabul in Afghanistan at the age of 14.

"I have established through a Parliamentary Question that Aman is allowed to travel," she said.

"But he has to apply for travel documents each time and these take a long time to come through and his team cannot wait.

"Additionally, his application for indefinite leave to remain could take up to five years, because of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate backlog."

With both his parents dead, Aman came to Swindon to live with his elder brother in County Road.

"Four and a half years ago Aman was unable to speak a word of English having fled from his home city of Kabul in Afghanistan," Mrs Snelgrove said.

"He has come too far to fail, and I will now pursue this with the Home Secretary."

Weighing just 53 kilos, the 5ft 4ins wrestler won the English Junior Championship and the British Junior Championship in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Aman, a former sports student at New College, said: "Training is going well but I need to travel to compete in European events."