Tunisia Banned From 2014 Davis Cup After Boycott Of Israeli Player

Politics has no place in the arts or sports, but it happens all the time. Tunisia is finding out the hard way. As of now, Tunisian players have been banned from competing in the 2014 Davis Cup competition after the Tunisian Tennis Federation told its top player Malek Jaziri to not play Israel's Amir Weintraub during a tournament in Tashkent last month.

Although Jaziri was cleared by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was not so understanding, and rightfully so.

“The ITF Board of Directors found that the Tunisian Tennis Federation was in breach of the ITF Constitution by interfering with international sporting practice and ordering Tunisian player Malek Jaziri not to compete against Israeli player Amir Weintraub at the 2013 Tashkent Challenger in October."

“The Board was not satisfied with the case put forward by the Tunisian Tennis Federation and voted to suspend Tunisia from the 2014 Davis Cup competition.”

According to ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti:

“There is no room for prejudice of any kind in sport or in society. The ITF Board decided to send a strong message to the Tunisian Tennis Federation that this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members.”

Way to go ITF.

More on the story here.