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**esenesesinas** · 10-29-2009, 03:43 PM

Indonesia Will Issue Visa for Israeli Tennis Star

Without even hitting a ball in anger, Shahar Peer has raised plenty of eyebrows ahead of the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions.

The Israeli tennis star’s name stood out among the 12-player list announced on Tuesday ahead of the $600,000 tournament at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua on Nov. 4-8.

Indonesia has no official diplomatic relations with Israel, but the government avoided another showdown between the worlds of sports and politics as it granted Peer an entry visa to play in the tournament.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah confirmed on Thursday that Peer was granted a visa. “We’ve issued an entry visa for her, but I have yet to know from which embassy she applied for it,” Faizasyah said. “We don’t have diplomatic ties with Israel, but in several cases, such as sports events or if we’re hosting an international conference which should have an Israeli delegation in it, we could grant then an entry visa.”

To qualify, players must be among the 10 highest ranked not playing in the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha. In addition, they must have won at least one of 29 selected WTA Tour tournaments this season. Peer has won two WTA events — the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in China and the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan, both in September — to earn her berth.

Peer garnered headlines when she was denied an entry visa by the United Arab Emirates government to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship in February. Tournament organizers said security fears were behind the decision to bar Peer. The WTA board fined the tournament a record $300,000 for a breach of tour rules.

Tournament director Kevin Livesey said part of the WTA’s rules for the tournament says every player who is qualified has to play in Bali.

“She is here in her capacity as a professional tennis player participating an international tennis tournament,” Livesey wrote in an e-mail to the Jakarta Globe.

The tournament features a round-robin format with four groups of three players, with each group winner advancing to the semifinals. The draw takes place on Monday

http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/indo...is-star/338481

10-29-2009, 03:43 PM	#25
esenesesinas Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 512 Senior Member	Indonesia Will Issue Visa for Israeli Tennis Star Without even hitting a ball in anger, Shahar Peer has raised plenty of eyebrows ahead of the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions. The Israeli tennis star’s name stood out among the 12-player list announced on Tuesday ahead of the $600,000 tournament at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua on Nov. 4-8. Indonesia has no official diplomatic relations with Israel, but the government avoided another showdown between the worlds of sports and politics as it granted Peer an entry visa to play in the tournament. Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah confirmed on Thursday that Peer was granted a visa. “We’ve issued an entry visa for her, but I have yet to know from which embassy she applied for it,” Faizasyah said. “We don’t have diplomatic ties with Israel, but in several cases, such as sports events or if we’re hosting an international conference which should have an Israeli delegation in it, we could grant then an entry visa.” To qualify, players must be among the 10 highest ranked not playing in the year-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha. In addition, they must have won at least one of 29 selected WTA Tour tournaments this season. Peer has won two WTA events — the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in China and the Tashkent Open in Uzbekistan, both in September — to earn her berth. Peer garnered headlines when she was denied an entry visa by the United Arab Emirates government to play in the Dubai Tennis Championship in February. Tournament organizers said security fears were behind the decision to bar Peer. The WTA board fined the tournament a record $300,000 for a breach of tour rules. Tournament director Kevin Livesey said part of the WTA’s rules for the tournament says every player who is qualified has to play in Bali. “She is here in her capacity as a professional tennis player participating an international tennis tournament,” Livesey wrote in an e-mail to the Jakarta Globe. The tournament features a round-robin format with four groups of three players, with each group winner advancing to the semifinals. The draw takes place on Monday http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/indo...is-star/338481
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