Ram reportedly gets UAE visa for Dubai tournament
Dubai, UAE - Fears that next week's ATP Barclays Championships in Dubai might have been scrapped in a visa dispute for an Israeli player was solved on Thursday, local media reported.
The WAM agency reported that doubles player Andy Ram has been given a visa into the Gulf emirate less than a week after compatriot Shahar Peer's similar request was denied for a women's WTA event.
The controversy which erupted has included calls from American Jewish groups to remove Dubai from the professional tennis calendar.
Ram, who also holds an apparently unused passport from Uruguay where he was born, could have well squeezed through the loophole by which the UEA admits Israelis on their second passport.
A spokesman at the foreign ministry said Ram had been given "special permission."
The UAE has no diplomatic ties with Israel and passport holders have denied entry to the moderate Gulf state. Local feelings have been running high after Israel's three-week January bombing campaign in Gaza which reportedly killed up to 1,300 civilians. (dpa)
