JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli tennis player was denied an entrance visa to Dubai despite being scheduled to play in a tournament there.
Shahar Pe’er was scheduled to play singles and doubles in the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, but on Feb. 14 was informed that the United Arab Emirates would not issue her a visa, according to reports.
Pe’er, who is ranked No. 48 by the Women’s Tennis Association, became the first Israeli player to appear in a tennis tournament in Qatar last year.
According to the WTA, a host country cannot deny a player the right to play in a tournament for which she has qualified. The Dubai tournament could be sanctioned for the action.
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