[glamourcitys]

Statement from Larry Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Sony Ericsson WTA Tour

Regarding: United Arab Emirates decision to deny a Visa to Israeli Tour Professional Shahar Peer to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships

We are deeply disappointed by the decision of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denying Shahar Peer a Visa that would permit her to enter the country to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right.

Following various consultations, the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the Tour’s Board of Directors. Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally, and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer and also will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament. 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.

[EmxATW5m]

Statement from Larry Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Sony Ericsson WTA Tour

Regarding: United Arab Emirates decision to deny a Visa to Israeli Tour Professional Shahar Peer to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships
We are deeply disappointed by the decision of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denying Shahar Peer a Visa that would permit her to enter the country to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right.

Following various consultations, the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week, pending further review by the Tour’s Board of Directors. Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally, and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer and also will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament. 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.

What a mess.

[aliceingoogs]

Statement from Larry Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Sony Ericsson WTA Tour

Regarding: United Arab Emirates decision to deny a Visa to Israeli Tour Professional Shahar Peer to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships

We are deeply disappointed by the decision of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) denying Shahar Peer a Visa that would permit her to enter the country to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships. Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right.

That just sucks.

[sFs4aOok]

co-sign, y'all.

That's f-d up.

[Evoryboypoto]

Wow, that sucks.

I like them pretending that they were ever considering cancelling the tournament.

[LkEHaduy]

Sports organiazions are always so quick to assure that sport isnt political. yeah, right. And when something like this happens that clearly shows how political sport events can be, they simply to chose to more or less ignore it. This makes me so angry. I wish players would withdraw. And there better be consequences for the tournament.

[sFs4aOok]

Sports organiazions are always so quick to assure that sport isnt political. yeah, right. And when something like this happens that clearly shows how political sport events can be, they simply to chose to more or less ignore it. This makes me so angry. I wish players would withdraw. And there better be consequences for the tournament.

That would be great!






......but highly unlikely.

[aLZ9zKsO]

Sports organiazions are always so quick to assure that sport isnt political. yeah, right. And when something like this happens that clearly shows how political sport events can be, they simply to chose to more or less ignore it. This makes me so angry. I wish players would withdraw. And there better be consequences for the tournament.

With all the zillions of $$$$$ the wta/atp/players are getting their , i don't see it happenning.

Last year in Doha, she could play but she couldn't bring another Israeli beside her coach. The WTA shouldn't accept that

[LkEHaduy]

That would be great!

......but highly unlikely.

With all the zillions of $$$$$ the wta/atp/players are getting their , i don't see it happenning.

Last year she could play but she couldn't bring another Israeli beside her coach. The WTA shouldn't have tolerate that alternative either

I realize, it is unlikely. But I just wish there would be some form of declaration of solidarity with Peer.
:
and agreed about the last part, omess.

[sFs4aOok]

I wish that as well.
oh well.

[12ZHeWZa]

I am not surprised (even though I kept Shahar on my TFT team ( i had hopes that she would be mentally tougher that Chaks) at Dubai's actions.
I am also not surprised (but disappointed) that other players didn't withdraw. Now we know (but only suspected) last year when Ram/Ehrlich cancelled at the last moment.
I think the ATP and WTA should refuse to hold any more tournaments in Dubai (or any other nation) that refuses to grant visas to athletes for political reasons. If they wanted to deny radek a visa, that i would understand

[FelixQY]

That sucks for Shahar. Could UAE have let her and the WTA know at least 3 weeks earlier so she could have changed her travel plans. If she was allowed to do it, Shahar probably would have put Memphis on her schedule. She played Memphis in 2007 losing in the finals to Venus.

Remember, Aggie could not play Moscow because Russia did not grant her a visa. WTA needs to look at this situation quick.

[Assunkkensatt]

This sucks and I agree that the WTA/ATP should do something about this, but I'm with Pam I think they are only pretending that they will cancel these tournaments.

Foxy

[Flatlytaize]

And yet 9/10 of the top players will be there.

[Evoryboypoto]

This sucks and I agree that the WTA/ATP should do something about this, but I'm with Pam I think they are only pretending that they will cancel these tournaments.

It'$ too bad that a $hred of the dignity in the $porting world that exi$ted when $outh Africa was banned from international $porting event$ during the Apartheid era i$ no longer pre$ent.

[disclaimer]This statement represents only my view of the way the conflict in the Middle East represents athletic competitions, not the actual political situation.[/disclaimer]

[luspikals]

It'$ too bad that a $hred of the dignity in the $porting world that exi$ted when $outh Africa was banned from international $porting event$ during the Apartheid era i$ no longer pre$ent.

[disclaimer]This statement represents only my view of the way the conflict in the Middle East represents athletic competitions, not the actual political situation.[/disclaimer]

couldn't have said it better myself.

[freddystone]

Am I the only one who thinks Larry Scott has got some frippin' nerve?

::

I'm no fan of Shahar's... Obviously. But I can't help but respect her a great deal for pushing the envelope on this.

[Assunkkensatt]

It'$ too bad that a $hred of the dignity in the $porting world that exi$ted when $outh Africa was banned from international $porting event$ during the Apartheid era i$ no longer pre$ent.

[disclaimer]This statement represents only my view of the way the conflict in the Middle East represents athletic competitions, not the actual political situation.[/disclaimer]

SAY IT AGAIN, PAM!

Foxy

[Evoryboypoto]

Am I the only one who thinks Larry Scott has got some frippin' nerve?

I guess Larry Scott's frippin' nerve is no different from any other money grubbing executive's frippin' nerve. Sometimes you're motivated to trade bad assets and bring down the world economy, and sometimes you're motivated to tacitly endorse nationalist discrimination against your "employees". Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

[Penisvergroesserung]

When I'm deeply disappointed at something there's an immediate consequence laid on whom/whatever I am disappointed in. This is a perfect opportunity for the players union to show their balls by absolutely refusing to allow any player to go to Dubai unless they all can go. Now I'm no Zionist by any means and generally think Israel and their "promised land' excuse for terrorizing Palestinians for the last 60 years is load of crap, but this has nothing to do with that. I've lost some respect for the WTA as whole, players and management. These players need to step up and show some moral conscience. I doubt they will though as most cant speak for themselves without their coaches/parents/agents/managers guidance. assholes.