Dubai update: WTA imposes sanctions
It didn't take long for the WTA's promised sanctions to be levied on the Dubai tournament, which earned world-wide criticism when the United Arab Emirates refused to issue a visa to tennis player Shahar Peer of Israel.
Larry Scott, the WTA's chairman and chief executive officer, promised there would be ramifications and this afternoon announced a series of actions to "send the message that the tour would not tolerate discrimination of any kind and we will never allow this situation to happen again, in UAE, or elsewhere."
Peer has been supported by her, well, peers.
But, sadly, their support has rung hollow, coming in the form of words, not action. ESPN's Jemele Hill took a closer look at what Venus Williams had to say in Dubai this week and wished both Venus and her sister Serena had shown the same "backbone and determination this week in Dubai" that they've shown in boycotting Indian Wells.
Meanwhile, the tour's release detailing the various sanctions against the tournament follows:
Shahar Peer Ranking Points -- The awarding of 130 ranking points to Shahar Peer –- an amount equal to the points that she earned during the same week in 2008 (week of Memphis) that she was unable to defend this past week in Dubai as a result of the denial of her entry visa by UAE. Such points will remain on Ms. Peer’s ranking until such time as she has had an opportunity to earn equivalent points at the next tournament offering ranking points equal to the Dubai tournament.
Shahar Peer Prize Money –- The awarding of $44,250 to Shahar Peer -– an amount equal to the average prize money that she earned per tournament (singles and doubles) in 2008, grossed up to take account for the increased prize money on offer at 2009 tournaments.
Anna Lena Groenefeld Prize Money –- The awarding of $7,950 to Anna Lena Groenefeld, who was to be Shahar Peer’s doubles partner in Dubai and who was unable to compete in doubles with Ms. Peer as a result of the denial of Ms. Peer’s entry visa by UAE. This amount is equal to the average prize money that she earned per tournament in doubles in 2008, grossed up to take account for the increased prize money on offer at 2009 tournaments.
Dubai Tennis Championships Financial Penalty –- The fining of the Dubai tournament $300,000 for breach of Tour Rules, By-Laws and conditions of membership related to the denial of entry to Shahar Peer. This fine amount represents the highest fine ever levied against a Tour member. Proceeds from the fine shall be used to compensate each of Ms. Peer and Ms. Groenefeld, with the balance to be donated to a charity or charities, to be determined by the Tour in consultation with Ms. Peer.
Dubai Tennis Championships Financial Performance Guarantee -– The posting by the Dubai tournament of a $2-million financial performance guarantee by July 1, 2009 that the conditions described below will be satisfied.
Dubai Tennis Championships Conditions for Continued Membership –- The establishment of a series of conditions to be met by the Dubai tournament in order to maintain its membership and be included on the Tour’s 2010 calendar, including: (i) confirmation of the written assurances already received that all players who qualify for the tournament shall, regardless of nationality, or any other reason, be allowed to play in the Dubai event and shall be issued entry visas or permits, (ii) proof of approved UAE entry permit to enter the UAE for any Israeli player a minimum of eight (8) weeks prior to the start of the 2010 Dubai tournament, and (iii) guarantee that Ms. Peer shall be offered a wildcard to play the Dubai tournament in 2010 in the event that she does not qualify by ranking.
-- Lisa Dillman
Photo: Shahar Peer reacts during a semifinal match against Russia's Vera Zvonareva at the Pattaya Tennis Open last weekend. Credit: Christophe Archambault / AFP / Getty Images
The Dubai Tennis Open is a travesty. Excluding Shahar Peer nullifies this competition's status as a victory worth winning.
I am deeply saddened that Venus and Serena Wiliams in particular, but that any self respecting sportswoman, would take part in a tournament that would exclude obviously qualified players on the basis of race.
How can you say that racism , so long as it isn't against me, is okay? After all the hard struggles, how can you sell your honour so cheap?
Posted by: Francesca Gutierrez | February 20, 2009 at 06:20 PM
The Western world has been provoked to anger by the story of the Israeli tennis player, Shahar Peer. As a person whose origins were in the city of Jerusalem, I feel not only angry about the issue, but also worried on seeing that my children are pleased to hear that the tennis player has been banned from an Arab country, for I know this reaction does not augur well for peace mentality.
According to documents going back hundreds of years, I am an indigenous Palestinian, for my family has lived in a village close to Jerusalem, in a location from which the Old City can easily be seen. Our story as a family is documented in a book written by Said K. Aburish in English and entitled Children of Bethany: The Story of a Palestinian Family. The author describes clearly how my parents and grandfathers have been always part of the city of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, for more than eighteen years, I have been denied entry to that city. All the Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians, in the West Bank are denied this right. Not one of us is allowed to pray or shop in, or visit the city.
I myself have had to abandon a book that I spent years writing, including producing a thesis for a Ph.D. degree on the same topic: “How to settle the issue of Jerusalem peacefully” On reaching a certain point, I needed to visit the city myself to write about it; however, it was impossible because of the Israeli Separation Wall and because of the Israeli government’s policy of closing off Jerusalem in the face of the Arabs. To add to the frustration and humiliation, dozens of Palestinian expectant mothers have been obliged to give birth at Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank because Israeli soldiers would not allow them to proceed to the hospital.
My children are pleased on hearing the story of the Israeli tennis player’s predicament because they regard it as a kind of retaliation for preventing them from entering Jerusalem to pray there or visit relations. Yet more than 5 million Palestinian refugees have been forced to endure, for more than 60 years, a similarly unhappy situation that has not provoked the same level of anger as that resulting from the UAE’s ban on the Israeli tennis player.
In its struggle to end the racist regime of South Africa, the world boycotted that country and implemented comprehensive sanctions affecting its economy, culture, sport, academic endeavors, etc. Why, therefore, is Israel immune from similar measures?
Israeli human rights groups have documented how Israeli soldiers routinely shoot Palestinian children playing football outside their refugee camps. Israel has regularly prevented Palestinian players from traveling abroad to participate in international games. For instance, in September 2004, five players were prevented from traveling to the World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan. Unable to play in Palestine, the team travels to Doha, Qatar, for “home” games and trains in Ismailia, Egypt.
Why does the Israeli tennis player deserve support and the Palestinians do not? The Israeli tennis player has been denied a visa not as the result of a punitive policy but simply because there are no diplomatic ties between the UAE and Israel. For more than seven years, the Arab world, represented by the Arab League, has offered Israel full diplomatic ties and normalization on the condition of ending the Israeli occupa-tion of the West Bank and Gaza, as laid down in the United Nations and Security Council resolutions. If Israel accepted peace on these terms, then its citizens would not find themselves in these difficult situations, and the Palestinians could have their own independent state and their national sport teams.
Posted by: Ahmad Jamil Azem | February 20, 2009 at 10:51 PM
It's unfortunate what happened in Dubai and fully agree with the sanctions however i'm not in agreement with the comments made about
Venus and Serena Williams. Why is it so imperative that they boycott the tournament? I'm sure they feel strongly about what happened to their fellow competitor but please those who are critisizing tell me how many players have stood behind them to boycott the Indian Wells tournament because of racial slurs which were hurled at them? Did anyone ask back then for solidarity to be shown in support of the sisters? I read that Martina HIngis even said back then that there was no racism on the tour, wake up because it's still happening. Jelena Jankovic, Ivanovic and all the other players are also role models, let it be uniformed for all and not single out anyone!
Posted by: Desiree LaVann | February 20, 2009 at 11:36 PM
No one said anything when the US stopped arab and muslim students from entry to continue their education. No one said anything when these people - who were halfway into their education - were told to kiss their american education good bye and head back to where they came from..
and now people have the audacity to call the UAE names and accuse it of racism? the UAE is a soveriegn nation with the right to create and uphold its own laws: dont like it? dont participate in its events.
Posted by: Mike | February 21, 2009 at 02:11 AM
The Dubai tournament should be scrapped out of the tennis calendar. Tennis is a classy sport. I wish all the players had walked off the tournament instead of playing. I hope Larry scott pulls the plug on Dubai as tennis has come a long way and we don't need this kind of things to happen in tennis.
Posted by: Sam Thomas | February 21, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Its sad to read all that is written in this connection. Since the matter is about a nation's right to invite or not I believe that the UAE must be respected for its policies.
When did the world question the americans for sending the arab students home? When did the world question when the australians, new zealanders and the british refused to play with Zimbabwe?
When did the world question the british governement on not considering the Zimbabwe cricket team for the T20 world cup to be staged this year in England. In fact together these countries have altered the rules of the game to support their notion of not allowing Zimbabwe to participate in the sports.
Lastly, when did the world question all those countries who were participating in sports with South Africa during the days of Pretoria.
This is nothing showing double standards in everything they are doing. I am pretty sure that the british government, together with its puppet allies will do the same during the London Olympics.
Is the world ready for all this non sense???
Posted by: Abdullah Naqvi | February 21, 2009 at 01:15 PM
The UAE has sought to project the image of a modern, forward-thinking country. The decision to bar Ms. Peer from participating in the tennis tournament demonstrates, however, that is it really not much different than some of its backward, extremist and intollerant neighbors.
Posted by: Joseph | February 21, 2009 at 06:06 PM
sanctions no problem for dubai because we have alot of money. it makes to differance to us. all muslim countries do the same. we not submit to wta or western countries.
Posted by: mohammad abu hassan | February 22, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Reading the earliest comments taking positions that Venus and Serena Williams should not participate in the Dubai tournament, I was convinced that those positions were proper and unchallengeable---case closed. The later opposing comments were equally convincing and challenged the practice of "double standards" of behavior/rules as they relate to politics, country, ethnicity and earlier precedence. It helps to keep an open mind, to refer to history, be unbiased, and fairly apply the same standards to comparable situations (i.e. consistency). I now agree with the latter arguments that uphold the Williams sisters' decision.
Posted by: S. Mac | February 22, 2009 at 01:06 PM
It takes courage and guts to make positive changes in life and in this world. It's only the extra ordinary who can do that. That's why we don't find many extra ordinary people to lead and make a difference. It's easy to point fingers and blame others. Dubai failed to make positve change through a positve sport - TENNIS!
Posted by: Sam Thomas | February 23, 2009 at 06:16 PM
its a fair decision
Posted by: sam | February 24, 2009 at 06:31 AM
It's rather obvious that Ms.Hill didn't do her homework and even more so people slamming the Williams Sisters. For one thing, their neither their race or their life experiences justify singling them out from the rest of the tour. The serbians have faced discrimination, yet neither Jankovic or Ivanovic were called to make statements. Secondly, if people actually did research and not just took one article's word, they'd see that Venus Williams indeed stood up and showed ssupport for Shahar Peer. She also wanted to make it clear that it was to be a team effort of the wta, sponsors, and players, not all going off in different directions. Hence, Venus' talk of supporting sponsors. Neither she nor Peer felt the tournemt should be boycotted this year as the event had already begun and the UEA gave last minute notice. This was politics and should not be where sports is and it should not fall on players to play that game, one that has nothing to do with sport and all to do with centuries long conflict.
Furthermore, go to youtube andd look up the trophy presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYQ-OO215HA
Venus Williams infront of the tournament director, UAE Royal Family, the crowd, ect....stood up and acknowkedged Peer once more to the cheering crowd and that took guts! And she delivered that speech with such poise and elegance!
C'mon folks, we can do better. Know the facts and be truly informed.
Posted by: Karen Smith | February 24, 2009 at 11:03 AM
I am an avid tennis fan and I'm Jewish too. I watch tennis as a sport and I don't care if the player is from Saudia Arabia or India or wherever. I just love to watch good tennis. I am completely dumbfounded that the WTA has not pulled their tennis players out of this tournament. They are breaking their own rules. How can this be allowed to happen? I am so surprised, especially by Serena and Venus who by being black should know that terrible feeling of being ostracized because of their color. Where are their ethics and the ethics of the other tennis players who are continuing to play in this tournament. Could you imagine if there was a tournament that did not allow black players. There would be a huge outcry. Where is this outcry for a Jewish Israeli player who by the way qualified for this tournament with points. Yes, just throw some money at her and she'll go away. Many years ago some players boycotted a tournament because another player was not allowed to play because he was not an amateur. That took guts and the players lost money but they stood up for what was right. What is wrong with the players today?
I just heard...KUDOS to Andy Roddick. How great of him as defending champion to say that he will not play because Peer was denied a visa. I truly hope that the other players will follow suit and stand up for Peer's rights.
Remember Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran Pastor from Germany who wrote this poem
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
Hilary Hadad
Orange County
California
Posted by: Hilary Hadad | February 24, 2009 at 12:42 PM