Praise Dubai. The Arab city-state, once fabled for its real-estate extravaganzas (and now for its extravagant debts), claims to be so concerned for the personal security of an Israeli tennis player that it is refusing her a visa to play in a championship tournament. Maybe next time the emirate will generously extend this security guarantee to all Israeli citizens.
Oh, wait: Dubai already forbids Israeli passport holders from setting foot on its soil. Which gives the lie to the emirate's excuse for excluding Israel's Shahar Pe'er, currently ranked 45 in the world, from competing in next week's Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships. In another twist, the tournament's director added that Ms. Pe'er's presence on the court might have "antagonized our fans." We used to feel that way about John McEnroe, but that didn't stop us from watching.
Happily, the Lords of Tennis seem to be having none of it. Larry Scott, chief executive of the World Tennis Association, plans to weigh sanctions against Dubai, including excluding it altogether from its tournament calendar. And Ken Solomon of the American Tennis Channel has decided not to televise the games. "Sports are about merit, absent of background, class, race, creed, color or religion," he told the New York Times. "This is an easy decision to come by, based on what is right and wrong."
Just so. Meantime, Dubai may wish to reconsider not only Ms. Pe'er's visa, but its attitude generally toward Israel. A city-state that fancies itself a global mecca for commerce, sport and recreation ought to be able to handle a few Jews in its cosmopolitan midst.
Oh, wait: Dubai already forbids Israeli passport holders from setting foot on its soil. Which gives the lie to the emirate's excuse for excluding Israel's Shahar Pe'er, currently ranked 45 in the world, from competing in next week's Barclay's Dubai Tennis Championships. In another twist, the tournament's director added that Ms. Pe'er's presence on the court might have "antagonized our fans." We used to feel that way about John McEnroe, but that didn't stop us from watching.
Happily, the Lords of Tennis seem to be having none of it. Larry Scott, chief executive of the World Tennis Association, plans to weigh sanctions against Dubai, including excluding it altogether from its tournament calendar. And Ken Solomon of the American Tennis Channel has decided not to televise the games. "Sports are about merit, absent of background, class, race, creed, color or religion," he told the New York Times. "This is an easy decision to come by, based on what is right and wrong."
Just so. Meantime, Dubai may wish to reconsider not only Ms. Pe'er's visa, but its attitude generally toward Israel. A city-state that fancies itself a global mecca for commerce, sport and recreation ought to be able to handle a few Jews in its cosmopolitan midst.
Source: WSJ online
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