JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Dubai Tennis Championships will pay a record fine over its country’s refusal to award a visa to an Israeli player.
The heads of the tournament agreed Sunday to pay the record $300,000 fine after the World Tennis Association turned down the Dubai appeal, The Associated Press reported.
The United Arab Emirates rejected Israeli tennis champion Shahar Pe’er’s request for a visa to play in the Dubai tournament just days before the start of the competition and shortly before she planned to travel to the UAE in February.
The WTA also will require the organizers of the Dubai tournament to ensure that Israeli players who qualify for the event receive their visas at least eight weeks ahead of the 2010 tournament.
