On Monday, the World Squash Federation took a stand for the Israeli team and canceled its tournament that was set to happen in Malaysia.
In a statement regarding the cancellation of the event, the WSF said it “believes in an open and inclusive” event, and it was forced to cancel “due to the lack of confirmation over the issuing of visas and travel authorizations.”
Source: The News International (AFP File Photo)
As it stands, despite requests Malaysia refused to allow the entry of Israeli athletes into the nation, especially since the Muslim-majority nation has no diplomatic ties with Israel. In 2019, Malaysia was stripped of the right to host the World Para Swimming Championships for threatening to refuse Israeli athletes, and the competition was moved to London.
In an attempt to seek entry into the competition, the Israel Squash Association also claimed that it had planned to turn to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland if the WSF could not resolve the issue. Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Chili Tropper said at the time, “I find it impossible to believe that in this modern era, there is still a place for discrimination, as well as the mixing of political considerations and sport.”
To date, Malaysia and Israel have no diplomatic ties, and Israelis are barred from visiting the South Asian country, primarily because the nation offers strong support towards Palestinian causes.
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