Dubai to appeal massive WTA fine

Shahar.Peer.Dubai, UAE - Dubai officials will make an official protest to the WTA after being slapped with a 300,000-dollar fine for the UAE visa exclusion of Israeli Shahar Peer at the Barclays Championships this month.

Owner Dubai Duty Free is also concerned over an unprecedented requirement that the event lay down a 2-million-dollar bond to make sure that the visa problem is not repeated in 2010.

"We don't see it as quite fair," Dubai Duty free boss Colm McLoughlin told Abu Dhabi's The National newspaper. "The rules of the WTA state that the tournament should make every effort to get visas for the players, and we did make every effort."

He added: "We are going to appeal against that fine. In that letter (from the WTA) we also have notice that if all players are not allowed entry in future that they will withdraw the sanction of the tournament.

"But there has been a statement recently from the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs that all players are welcome to come and play, as was the case when Andy Ram (the Israeli men's doubles player) took part (at last week's ATP event)."

But McLoughlin said he does not fear for the future of the Dubai WTA-ATP event: "In my opinion there is no danger that the tournament will be pulled (from the calendar)." (dpa)

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