Dubai studies response to WTA penalty

Dubai: Organisers of the Dubai Duty Free Open Championships will decide in the next few days on whether to appeal a $300,000 fine by the governing body of women's tennis (WTA), officials said on Saturday.

The fine came after Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer was barred from taking part in the tournament – which Venus Williams won last night - because she was not issued a visa for the UAE.

"There is an appeal situation if we want to use it, in the WTA rule book, but we have not gone into detail on it," Colm McLoughlin, managing director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free, told reporters on Saturday. "I recognise the WTA have an issue with their rules. We are looking at it [the fine] and will respond in a few days."

Tournament director Salah Tahlak denied that any errors of judgement had been made, as claimed by a section of the players and the media. Commenting on his statement on Tuesday that Peer's visa had been denied for security reasons, he said: "Whatever reason was given last week, we had our reasons. Maybe then it was still fresh what happened in Gaza and we made that very clear in the statement."

He also said that the organisers and the authorities had done their best under the circumstances. "It is not our responsibility to issue a visa. It is other departments' responsibility. They also did their best. We should not mix politics with sport. We are purely sport. We have done a lot for tennis in the region, especially in the UAE," Tahlak told reporters.

McLoughlin also echoed Tahlak's concerns. "Neither Dubai Duty Free nor the tournament issues visas. We request them. It is the immigration authorities and sometimes the security people who make the decisions," he said.

The UAE has no diplomatic ties with Israel and denies entry to its citizens. Israeli doubles specialist Andy Ram was given a special permit to compete in this week's men's tournament in Dubai, ensuring the event goes ahead as planned.

Shir Hever, an Israeli economist at the joint Palestinian-Israeli Alternative Information Centre in Israel, told Gulf News that boycotts of Israel can be effective in raising awareness, but that it was important to distinguish between boycotting individuals and institutions. "Israel as a state should not be invited to participate in international competitions, and Israelis must realise that as long as their government continues to ignore its international law obligations, Israel will not be accepted as a legitimate member of the international community," he said.

"Clearly Shahar Peer was not personally accused of committing any crime. However, in these cases one should ask – are tennis players from Gaza able to participate in international events? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Israel traps the people of Gaza in prison-like conditions, and they cannot participate in any international cultural events," he said.

According to media reports, Shahar Peer completed her mandatory military service in the Israel Defence Forces in October 2007, having enjoyed elementary combat training and excelling in rifle marksmanship. She even faced protests at one of her matches in New Zealand following Israel's war on Gaza, which killed 1,300 people.

Emirati political scientist Dr Ebtisam Al Kitby said: "We like all other countries have laws that have to be followed. This is true for Israel too, as I can't imagine it extending the same opportunities for a Palestinian sportsperson. If the tables had turned and Israel had banned entry to a Palestinian tennis player, I doubt that the Women's Tennis Association would have stood by the Palestinian".

The UK banned Zimbabwe's cricket team a few weeks ago. What did the ICA do? Why didn't this cause international furore?
Matovu Twaha
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 14:00

i dont think politics should be mixed with sports ,if one has to mix them then chances of staging world events are less.
Binoy Chacko
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 13:18

i am sure, she wouldnt make it even to second round, anyway she wanted to come to play.
Mohammad
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 12:42

Politics and Sports should always be separate issues and should not be integrated in sporting events.
Fred jones
Dubai,UAE
Posted: February 22, 2009, 12:31