Excluding $K_{2,t}$ as a fat minor

Abstract: We prove that for every $t \in \mathbb{N}$, the graph $K_{2,t}$ satisfies the fat minor conjecture of Georgakopoulos and Papasoglu: for every $K\in \mathbb{N}$ there exist $M,A\in \mathbb{N}$ such that every graph with no $K$-fat $K_{2,t}$ minor is $(M,A)$-quasi-isometric to a graph with no $K_{2,t}$ minor. We use this to obtain an efficient algorithm for approximating the minimal multiplicative distortion of any embedding of a finite graph into a $K_{2,t}$-minor-free graph, answering a question of Chepoi, Dragan, Newman, Rabinovich, and Vax`es from 2012.