Davis Cup Tie Between Canada and Israel Will Be in Closed Venue: Tennis Canada

The Davis Cup finals trophy is seen in Madrid Arena, Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 25, 2021. Sergio Perez/Reuters

The Davis Cup World Group I tie between Canada and Israel taking place in Halifax this weekend will now be a closed venue with no fans permitted in attendance, Tennis Canada says.

The organization made the announcement on Sept. 9, citing “escalating safety concerns.” It noted the decision was “not taken lightly” and was made in consultation with the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

“Intelligence received from local authorities and national security agencies, combined with disruptions witnessed at other recent events both in Canada and internationally, indicated a risk of significant disruption to this event,” Tennis Canada said in a Sept. 9 news release.

Halifax police spokesperson Marla MacInnis told The Epoch Times in an email the force was not involved in the decision and did not provide Tennis Canada with a risk assessment.

“Halifax Regional Police will have a presence in and around the event to support public safety. For security reasons, we won’t be providing any further operational details,” MacInnis said.

The decision comes after some Canadian athletes and academics called on Tennis Canada to cancel the match due to Israel’s ongoing military action in Gaza against Hamas militants.

Tennis Canada CEO Gavin Ziv called the decision “disappointing” but said it allows athletes to continue to compete at the international level.

“We were forced to conclude that playing behind closed doors was the only way to both safeguard those involved and preserve the event itself,” he said.

The tie will be played on Sept. 12 and 13 and Tennis Canada said fans can watch it online. The organization said it will be offering full refunds within 30 days to anyone who purchased tickets.

A Tennis Canada spokesperson told reporters the organization is still assessing the financial impact of the decision but anticipated it would be a “significant loss of revenue.”

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs CEO Noah Shack said that cheering for Canadian athletes is part of what it means to be Canadian, but that “a small group of extremists” have hijacked the Davis cup.

“It is unacceptable that hate, harassment, and intimidation have made it unsafe to support our athletes in our own country,” he said in a Sept. 9 post on X.

Shack called on elected officials and community leaders to take a stand and defend democracy.

“Our political leaders must decide whether we are a nation governed by peace, order, and good government—or one where fear and intimidation dictate our way of life,” he said.

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, who is Jewish, said the closed venue was “unacceptable,” adding that while it was unfair to players and fans, he did not blame Tennis Canada or police.

“Absolutely the fault of a small group who feel it is their right to disrupt whenever they don’t get their way,” he wrote in a Sept. 9 social media post.

Israel’s ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed said it was “deeply troubling” that protestors have created an “unsafe and hostile” environment at the matches.

“International sports should transcend political agendas—an arena where we celebrate excellence, unity, and the shared spirit of humanity. It must remain free of hate, violence, and incitement,” he wrote in a Sept. 9 X post.

Canada as a liberal democracy has a responsibility to reject “attempts by any form of extremism to control the public domain,” he added.

Tennis Canada’s decision comes after a Montreal-based human rights group, Palestinian and Jewish Unity, sent a letter to Mayor Valerie Plante asking the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team not be allowed to compete in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, which is being held on Sept. 14.

The Canadian Press contributed to this article.