There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Refusing a visa to an Israeli player who has qualified by right to participate in a sporting event may seem minor, but sports-related issues have a big impact (the sports boycott of South Africa undoubtedly brought a speedier end to apartheid).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7891164.stm

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Not in the arab world I guess...as for the others they just write down Dubai anyway :lol:

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

She's a tennis player, not a general in the IDF...

...Dubai's never been hurt one bit by Israel and likely benefits from all the gold that passes through Israel to Dubai anyway...bloody hypocrites.

N.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Watch out for 'campaigns' calling for stars to boycott high profile sports events in Dubai (the golf thing, the tennis thing).

The publicity (always high in sports-related cases) will lead to people examining Dubai in other ways............ etc............... etc..............

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Sorry but I don't see anyone remembering this incident in 2-3 weeks time. It's not as if Israelis are automatically banned. There must have been some bureaucratic cock-up to have caused this. I believe several footballers of Israeli origin have come here in the past. Saudi no but UAE yes.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

don't think so, Bolton left Tal Ben Haim behind when they came, then Man City ditched him sharpish as well

fortunately there's no fear of him leaving the UK while playing for Sunderland :(

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Aye especially if he wants to go on holiday, he's not using our airport. :)

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

You are right. I must have been thinking about Jewish sportsmen holding non-Israeli passports. Of course the UAE won't allow Israelis into their country as there are no diplomatic relations between them. Mind you, it hasn't stopped an entrepreneur of Israeli origin investing here...the Atlantis Hotel springs to mind.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

and aren't the Al Fayed family originally Israeli?

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

I thought they were Egyptian, but what do I know?

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

they are now ....

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

your right I checked ;)

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Dennis and Oz are Mackems :ohmy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azMxzCwH0oI

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Why do two countries have to have "diplomatic relations" before citizens of one can travel to the other?

Saudi hasn't had "diplomatic relations" with Japan for years but they still import Jap cars, travel both ways on business, etc.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Major feature just been on CNN on this..............

Talk of taking Dubai off the WTA circuit, Peer suing for lost earnings, etc.

Mark my words, dear readers - this one has got legs and we will hear more of this...........

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

I agree, i heard on the news that the World olympic commitee has echoed similar sentiments.
If the UAE/ Gulf countries refuse admission to qualified nations (Israel), than those countries will NEVER be asked to bid to host the olympics..

I guess sports city is going to be a bit of a let down!

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Do you think, under international pressure and the 'need' for events like this, they will relent?

Arab pride and stubborness in my opinion will get the better of them.

sports city=biggest sunday, well friday league stadiums ever

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

I dont care, i really hope that DXB falls completely on its arse.
Hopefully some of the locals wont be so arrogant once they have been through the financial mill and realised they are not untouchable..

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

I wonder............... if we'll see a (minor) protest at the tournament itself this week (prepared statement read by the players etc)?

Every little helps.......................

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

The thing is if she had been allowed to turn up there would have been a serious threat to her safety and possibly a major disturbance/demonstration. However I'm sure Dubai's stance is not based on this and is purely political pandering.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

You must visit Abu Dhabi some day, what they want they get...

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

According to CNN the Isreali doubles team were also banned last year.:wub:

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

The issue is passport origin. Does anyone here have a passport showing their religion? No. I thought not. The Germans used to stamp a big 'J' on some folks passports a few years back, but have given it up as a bad idea after a bit of persuasion.

Is the British foreign secretary going to be blacklisted for his background along with many other significant UK, US and other countries' politicians? Nope.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sp...tml?ref=sports

Tennis Channel not covering it.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

.......... well CNN certainly are.

It's all over the main bulletins today, with viewer polls, etc a feature of it all. The lady herself has been interviewed, and comes across in a very dignified and restrained way, to her credit.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

It is not about Religion; indeed there are many Jews living and working in the UAE. The issue is over having an Israeli passport. The policy to exclude those with Israeli passports is for Political, not religious reasons.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

politics and religion in this part of the world are not linked??

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Well of course they are, but the law excludes Israeli passport holders not Jews generally.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

bet she would have got a visa if she had been an Israeli arab!

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

WTA are considering sanctions which may mean this is the last tournament in the UAE.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...931649,00.html

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

You don't even have to be Israeli to be banned from Dubai these days

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/b...-festival.html

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

You have to laugh.....
I mean, They are fining any reporters who tarnish the image or reputation of Dubai....... yet with own actions, they are creating loads of bad international press... Way to go Dubai!!!!!!:thumbup:

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

That statement applies to nearly everything that's wrong with this region.

N.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Another 'injury'...hmmmm

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/54741...-due-to-injury

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

Record fine: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7902965.stm

And now Roddick pulls out in protest: http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2009/...9771235194017/

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

The PR machine is amazing... like everyone here was stupid, today in GN:

"With some top players missing the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships either due to injuries or otherwise, the favourites' tag now falls on Djokovic and Murray."

"Some of the top players such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Nicolai Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco have pulled out, mostly due to injuries."

What OTHERWISE means? No mention of Roddick explicit decision to not play due to the Israeli ban...

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

According to a letter in Seven Days, the concerned tennis player is an accomplished marksman in the Israeli Defence Force whose video was being used to actively recruit more soldiers to the army. Not surprising that Arabs might object to her inclusion.

Re: There will be a backlash against Dubai over this...
 

It's not unusual to be involved in a state organised militia in Israel though.

It's tennis not an invasion FFS.