Israel''s Ram given visa to play in Dubai

By Firouz Sedarat

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will allow Israel''s Andy Ram to play in the men''s Dubai Championships next week, the state news agency WAM said on Thursday.

A UAE foreign ministry official was quoted as saying the doubles specialist would be given "special permission" to take part.

"This... does not politically imply any form of normalization with countries with which the UAE has no diplomatic relations," the official told WAM.

Top Israeli player Shahar Peer had to forfeit her place in the women''s tournament in Dubai this week after the UAE blocked her visa application.

However, on Thursday Women''s Tennis Association (WTA) chief Larry Scott said he had been assured that all Israeli athletes would be given "a special permit" by the UAE government to enter the country if they have qualified for a tournament.

"We welcome the change of the UAE policy which will allow Andy Ram to play this week in Dubai and which clarifies that all Israeli athletes will be able to compete in future tournaments in UAE," Scott said in a statement.

AN EXCUSE

Tournament officials defended the stance to exclude Peer, saying local fans would have boycotted the event if an Israeli was allowed to compete and that her safety could also have been compromised.

"The fact that people want to harm the (Israeli players) is simply an excuse," Ram''s regular doubles partner Jonathan Erlich, who has been sidelined with an injury, told Israeli Army Radio.

"As far as I''m concerned, they can surround the players with the entire army, the players need to be able to play."

The UAE, like most Arab countries, has no diplomatic ties with Israel and routinely denies entry to its citizens.

Tensions have been heightened after the three-week Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip, which killed 1,300 Palestinians and 14 Israelis. Although the conflict ended in January it caused deep anger around the Arab and Muslim worlds.

The refusal to issue a visa to Peer violated WTA Tour rules, which state any player should be able to compete where she wishes if she has the required ranking.

After players, officials, Jewish leaders and even some sponsors condemned the UAE for excluding Peer, pressure mounted on the men''s ATP tournament to be canceled if Ram was also denied entry.

"I am pleased that the UAE have today confirmed that I will be able to travel to their country next week to compete in the Dubai Tennis Championships," Ram said in a statement.  Continued...