NEW YORK – The WTA fined Dubai Tennis Championships organizers a record $300,000 Friday after Israeli player Shahar Peer was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates, and US star Andy Roddick later said he wouldn’t defend the title he won there last year.
“I really didn’t agree with what went on over there. I don’t know if it’s the best thing to mix politics and sports, and that was probably a big part of it,” Roddick said at a tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.
“It’s just disappointing that reflects on a tournament that probably didn’t have much to do with the decision. Nevertheless, I just don’t feel like there’s a need for that in a sporting event. I don’t think you make political statements through sports.”
The Women’s Tennis Association also took steps to compensate Peer and ensure she and other Israeli players won’t be shut out of future tournaments in the federation.
Organizers said at the time that they feared fan anger over Israel’s recent military offensive in the Gaza Strip would spill into riots if Peer were to play. The UAE and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.
Part of the fine – more than double the previous largest levied by the WTA – will go to Peer and doubles partner Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany to make up for the prize money they could have won at the lucrative tournament with a purse of $2 million.
“I think what we hope with this decision is that we’re sending a very clear message that we’re not going to tolerate discrimination of any kind,” tour CEO Larry Scott told The Associated Press. “We wanted to send a clear signal that this is the most egregious action the world of tennis has seen in recent history. And we felt that it should be at least double what the previous highest penalty was.” (AP)