The Israel Tennis Association, apparently yielding to government pressure, has cancelled its scheduled Davis Cup Tournament match with Rhodesia. The Israeli foreign Ministry has been urging cancellation since the International Lawn Tennis Association paired Israel with Rhodesia and ordered the match to be held in Israel. The government announced recently that it would not admit the Rhodesian players. (Guy Hodder, secretary of the Rhodesian Lawn Tennis Association said in Salisbury yesterday that the Israeli cancellation was “completely non-political.” He said the letter of cancellation received from the Israel Tennis Association explained that the top Israeli player, Willie Davidmann, was under doctor’s orders not to play for three months and another player has been called up for military duty. The Israelis therefore felt they could not field a strong enough side for the Davis Cup play. Mr. Hodder said. Rhodesian tennis champion Hank Irvine called the Israeli letter “a reasonable explanation.”) Several weeks ago the Israeli Tennis Association appeared determined to go through with the match and said it would play outside Israel if necessary. It apparently had a change of mind. Israel is officially opposed to apartheid and the racial policies of the Rhodesian government.
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