Davis Cup tie between Canada and Israel in Halifax closed to fans for security reasons

HALIFAX Nova Scotia AP The Davis Cup World Group tie between Canada and Israel will be played in a closed venue without fans this weekend due to safety concerns Tennis Canada declared Tuesday The organization revealed in a release that the decision was made in consultation with the International Tennis Federation due to escalating safety concerns flagged by local leadership and national safety agencies It also comes after more than Canadian athletes and academics including Olympic runner Moh Ahmed urged Tennis Canada to cancel the tie over Israel s actions in Gaza and the West Bank Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv called the outcome very disappointing but mentioned the safety of athletes fans and staff takes top priority At the heart of this intricate decision is our responsibility to protect people while ensuring that this Davis Cup tie can still take place Ziv revealed We were forced to conclude that playing behind closed doors was the only way to both safeguard those involved and preserve the event itself The tie which will be played on Friday and Saturday was initially to be played at Scotiabank Centre Tennis Canada says fans who purchased tickets will receive a full refund within days Roughly tickets per day are being refunded a Tennis Canada spokesperson revealed As a not for profit we re still assessing the financial impact of this decision but it s clear it will conclusion in a notable loss of revenue for us However our priority has dependably been and remains the safety of people first Playing behind closed doors is the only responsible option that allows the tie to go ahead while eliminating this vulnerability In addition there will be no media allowed into the venue with all player availabilities being hosted virtually Halifax Regional Police did not say whether threats were directed at the Israeli association but disclosed officers will be present at the event The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs commented it was disappointed the event had to be closed to fans Cheering for Club Canada is part of what it means to be Canadian Yet a small group of extremists have hijacked the Davis Cup silencing thousands of fans a multitude of of whom travelled from afar who completely needed to show pride in their country the CIJA disclosed in a message Tennis Canada s decision was made to protect Canadians in the face of serious threats It is unacceptable that hate harassment and intimidation have made it unsafe to promotion our athletes in our own country AP tennis https apnews com hub tennis Source