Does a pro athlete who come to US to compete in Chicago run or Boston run need to have a working visa?

Question

In the essence that if the athlete win the race s/he could gain some prize money, is this considered as "working" and thus a foreign athlete need to obtain a working visa before entering the USA boundaries?

Or is there a rule stating that (regardless winning or losing) competing in sport competition in the USA for foreign athlete would always require a working visa?

Thank you, every comment will be very appreciated.

Answer 1

My understanding is that the foreign athlete would need a visa, regardless of winning or losing. You should check with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (www.ice.gov) to find out the specifics.

Hope this helps.