SquareMelon
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This is absolutely pathetic. She is ranked in the top-50 in the world. This is the kind of move countries like Venezuela made last year. And the UAE is supposed to be a model of a more open Islam.
.
And they US has banned people from entering the US... remember Cat Stevens? and in the US case it is a huge majority muslims...? The UK just banned "the" dutch politician from entering the UK because of his racist views.. Countries do it all the time. But in this case people are up in arms because it is a jew? Give me a break.
The UAE can ban anyone they want from entering their territory, just like anyone else.
Why is it that no wrong in the world can go without being turned into a criticism of the United States? At least with some frequent posters, anyway.
It's an obsession with some.
Like it or not, barring this tennis player based on that she is Israeli, is no different than the US barring HIV positive people from entering or Norway saying no to Snoop Dog or Israel denying muslims to return to the west bank after marrying someone from Syria. They have their reasons so be it and accept it, we do not live in a world where freedom of movement is universal for everyone regardless of sex, race, religion or a number of other criteria.
Genetically unique Russians? Please provide nude pictures of these Russian women so that I may judge their tennis assets.
She's not a tennis pro but damn!
When has an Israeli athlete ever played in Dubai? Dubai and Israel have never had diplomatic ties and this isn't the first time they've denied someone a visa.
The future of the Dubai Open may be at risk after Shahar Peer was prevented from competing in the event.
The blocking of Peer is a surprise because she was given a visa to play in the Qatar Open in Doha last year, a visit which was a considerable success both in tennis and diplomatic terms.
"The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly, and has a clear rule and policy, that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking."
PARIS (AFP) – Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo led a chorus of condemnation after Israel's Shahar Peer was controversially denied a visa to take part in the two-million-dollar WTA tournament in Dubai.
"I think sport should be above issues like that to do with religion and wars and whatever. I'm surprised."
Peer faced protests over Israel's military offensive in Gaza at the Auckland tournament in January with a group of around 20 people demanding she withdraw from the event.
French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, the former world number one from Serbia, said she was saddened by the episode.
"It's very unfortunate, I feel very sorry for her. Shahar is a friend of mine and I feel sorry she's not here," said Ivanovic who is in Dubai.
Had this action by the UAE been motivated by religion, we would see Jews from other nationalities being denied entry as well. None has been reported. It is a political not a religious issue. UAE does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
I see an eagerness of some folks here to tag political issues as religiously motivated
I doubt that if Israel denies a Lebanese Christian/Muslim athlete entry for a competition it would be called a religious discrimination.
Edit: Israeli Arabs Muslims/Christians can not enter UAE as well.
how dare anyone criticize Israel, ever.
Israel should be treated exactly like South Africa was.
You're exactly right ludahai.This isn't about Israel, this is about an individual athlete who has been denied a visa because of her nationality by a country who claims to be open and a model of modern Islam and who is trying to turn their city into an international sporting center.
And they US has banned people from entering the US... remember Cat Stevens? and in the US case it is a huge majority muslims...? The UK just banned "the" dutch politician from entering the UK because of his racist views.. Countries do it all the time. But in this case people are up in arms because it is a jew? Give me a break.
The UAE can ban anyone they want from entering their territory, just like anyone else.
When has an Israeli athlete ever played in Dubai? Dubai and Israel have never had diplomatic ties and this isn't the first time they've denied someone a visa.
And so what. The WTA aint the UAE. The WTA knows that it has to follow the rules of the countries where it holds competitions. If it does not like those rules, then dont freaking hold the competitions there.
I dont like this any more than the next guy, but I refuse to be up in arms over it just because it happens to be an Israeli, when very few were up in arms over Cat Stevens being banned from the US, or the thousands of innocent people including 3 month old babies being banned from entering the US due to having the "wrong name". And where on these boards was the uproar over the UK kicking out the Dutch right wing politician the other day? No where as far as I can see. Countries do it all the time and it is their right regardless if we agree with it or not. And dont play all high and mighty, because even Israel has banned people from entering Israel and keep doing it... where is your "uproar" over that?
how dare anyone criticize Israel, ever.
Israel should be treated exactly like South Africa was.
Your use of the term "Jew" wreaks of anti-semitism. I find this most disturbing.
You're exactly right ludahai.
But some folks here are willing to excuse this abysmal behavior on the part of UAE simply because an Ms. Peer is Israeli.
If this woman was from Spain, Mr. EU wouldn't be so forgiving.
Hypocrite and asshole.
No, since there is nothing comparable between Israel and how South Africa was. This would be a ridiculous comparison.
So let me summarize.. Yes it is wrong for the UAE to say no to this player, but it is their right to do so, just like every other country does it on a daily basis.
Knee jerk this. You belong in Philadelphia.Furthermore the denial of this is the product of knee-jerk American rabid Zionism which inevitably trumps anyone else's rights.
Conservative Americans, many Jewish Americans and Israelis do not believe in a world where criticizing Israel is a allowed.
Of course not, and I wasn't addressing this. I was merely addressing your attempt to make this out as a case of anti-semitism.
I think she was denied entry because she is Israeli, not because she is Jewish. You are aware that there is a difference between the two, correct?
Listen, there is no excuse for such behaviour I agree, but it is their freaking right, just as it is Israel's right to imprison dissidents, ban jews critical of the Israeli state from entering Israel. That TOO is there no excuse for and yet you and others are not up in uproar over that?
Also if she was from Spain, UK, France, Germany or whatever EU country, then yes the EU would be critical which is their right. But the EU knows, just as everyone but a few people on these boards, that not giving a visa on whatever grounds, is a a daily occurrence all over the world. Like it or not, we do not allow people into countries based on who they are, and where they are from.. big freaking deal. You do know that the EU has most likely denied visa's to people from the UAE too right?
I saw the interview on CNN of the WTA President. It is always funny how a man that claims that sports should be non-political goes on international TV and makes it political. On top of that, he admitted that they had known of the possibility for over a year and had been working on the issue. Now that the UAE has said no, which is their right, then all of a sudden he and his people make a story out of it? He even admitted that it was far from the first time someone on the WTA and ATP tour were denied visa to a country where there was a tournament.. so I ask again.. WHY is this case suddenly a "BIG" thing?
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