Shahar Peer is the 48th ranked player in the world. From AP-
The top official in women's tennis reprimanded the United Arab Emirates on Sunday for blocking an Israeli player from a premier Dubai tournament, calling the decision to deny her a visa "regrettable."The visa denial could result in Dubai no longer hosting a WTA event. I think it should, if a country can't separate sports and politics, they shouldn't be hosting international competitions. I doubt the WTA will take any action. Dubai based sporting events are some of the richest in the world.
But the absence of Shahar Peer could extend beyond the matches under way. The WTA Tour is planning to review its future in Dubai, and the UAE -- which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel -- could face a possible blow to its ambitions of becoming an international hub for big-ticket sports.
"Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it's regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right," WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott said in a statement issued after the UAE's last-minute decision.
The UAE has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but Israelis with dual citizenship have entered the country for international sporting and business events using second-country passports. On some occasions, Israeli passport holders have been allowed entry for meetings held by the United Nations or other international agencies.Tournament officials can promise anything they want but aren't the ones who grant or deny a visa.It was not clear whether Peer was traveling on an Israeli passport.
Peer's brother and spokesman, Shlomi Peer, said the 21-year-old player applied for a visa months in advance and was assured by tournament organizers that she would be allowed entry.
If Peer only has a Israeli passport, the visa denial was consistent with Dubai law and policy. That law and policy stinks.
Peer broke barriers last year in Qatar when she was the first Israeli to play in a WTA Tour tournament in the Persian Gulf. But the UAE -- locked in a rivalry with Qatar to host major sports events -- could face setbacks if the WTA and other federations grow skittish of planning events with the prospect of Israeli athletes being blocked.In fairness to Dubai and the UAE, they aren't the only Muslim country to discriminate against Israeli tennis players. In 2006 the Indonesian Tennis Association refused to play a match in Israel.Last month, Peer was the focus of protests in New Zealand over Israel's recent three-week offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas militants. She was provided extra security at the ASB Class tournament there.
Sports shouldn't be about politics. I'm realistic enough to know some won't ever be able to separate the two.
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Comments (4)
Governments should all be a... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Paul Hooson | February 15, 2009 9:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Governments should all be above playing politics with individual athletes who have no say in their own government policies. Banning athletes is simply wrong.
1. Posted by Paul Hooson | February 15, 2009 9:20 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 15, 2009 21:20
2. Posted by anke | February 16, 2009 4:38 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
but it is a non-violent way to make a point against the (very wrong!) politics of Israel against Gaza (and all palestinians). Even more since the elections did not give any hope op improvement of this Israelian attitude.
By the way: did you know that a few dozen Palestinian students with a scollarship for US Universities were refused BY ISRAEL to leave the country? So they could not go?
But that sort of things are never mentioned...
2. Posted by anke | February 16, 2009 4:38 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 16, 2009 16:38
3. Posted by Marlon Lara | February 16, 2009 5:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Let dubai be banned from hosting any international sports - This is unforgivable offense. It's just cold blooded murder. Their hatred has clouded their judgement. I wouldn't want my children to even set foot in dubai.
3. Posted by Marlon Lara | February 16, 2009 5:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 16, 2009 17:25
4. Posted by anke | February 17, 2009 2:10 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
unforgivable offense??? And what do you call Israels actions?
cold blooded murder????? What did Israel do last december? They shot at children who's parents were holding a white flag, coming out of a VN-school. Using fosfor on people.
Israel is a state with a lot of blood on its hands. There is no excuse to defend their politics.
4. Posted by anke | February 17, 2009 2:10 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 17, 2009 02:10