This is a follow-up to my last diary: Israeli Tennis Star denied UAE visa to Sony Dubai Tournament (with Poll)
Last week, the United Arab Emirates has refused a visa to Shahar Pe'er, an Israeli tennis player, to compete in the Sony Ericsson World Tennis Association Tour. This came at a time when Pe'er was rising in the rankings, without enough time for her to choose another tournament.
The tennis players on the tour spoke up for her in protest to the denial. Pe'er, despite the setback to her own career, encouraged the WTA to go ahead with the tournament so that other players would not suffer.
The Tennis Channel pulled coverage of the event and today, the WTA announced a $300,000 fine to Dubai:
The WTA fined Dubai Tennis Championships organizers a record $300,000 Friday after Israeli player Shahar Peer was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates.
More on the other side...
Peer, who will receive $44,250, was also given 130 ranking points, equivalent to the ones she earned in the same week last year [for playing singles and doubles]. She'll keep them until she plays in another tournament that offers a chance at the same amount she could have won in Dubai.
Groenefeld [Pe'er's double's partner from Germany] will get $7,950, roughly equivalent to her average doubles take from last year. The balance of the fine will go to a charity that will be chosen by the tour and Peer.
The Tennis Association has warned Dubai that they must let Israeli doubles player Andy Ram in to their tournament next week and that, in the future, if they deny visas, they must have a reason the Tennis Association will accept and must give at least eight weeks notice, so that the player has time to change their schedule.
The head of the tour, Larry Scott, said they wanted to send a clear message they were not going to tolerate discrimination of any kind and called it the "most egregious action the world of tennis has seen in recent history."
The fine was double the previous high penalty and Dubai could lose the right to hold World Tour Tennis events in the future if they don't comply.
Shahar Pe'er would have been the first Israeli athlete to participate in a professional sporting event in Dubai. If Andy Ram is allowed in, he will be the first.
If you haven't had a chance to see Pe'er play, I recommend it. She's plucky, hard working, extremely well liked by her peers and never gives up on a point. Andy Ram, I'm told, is one of the best doubles players on the tour.
I know that some may slam (pun - grand slam) this diary because it is about an Israeli being denied a visa, but I believe sports can be a bridge between nations and should never be politicized.
Update (hat-tip to sortalikenathan): Israeli Ram given visa for Dubai