Israeli women's tennis player, Shahar Peer, was denied a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the start of the annual Dubai Tennis Championships tournament last week. Tournament officials said they were trying to protect Peer from anti-Israel protests and her entry into the tournament would cause serious security concerns.
Public outcry since the incident has been intense. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and several sponsors of the Dubai tournament have taken swift action. The Dubai tournament was fined a record $300,000 for refusing Peer's entry. The WTA also awarded Peer $44,250, the average earnings of all players at the tournament.
The Tennis Channel cancelled its broadcast of the tournament, which was played February 15-21. Wall Street Journal Europe dropped its sponsorship of the tournament, as well as the men's tournament which takes place in Dubai this week. WSJ Europe also cancelled plans for a special tennis-themed advertising section scheduled for Monday. WTA officials also said they are reviewing whether the UAE will be allowed to host future tournaments.
finally, ive been waiting all year for this article instead of just a hyperlink. I thought i found a sportsblog with some dedication, but it turns out to be another cracker jack operation.
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