The Israel Tennis Association will have to pay more than $13,000 for refusing to play a Davis Cup match on Yom Kippur.
The Israeli national tennis team had been scheduled to face Belgium in Antwerp on Sept. 14, which is Yom Kippur, in the international tournament.
The Belgian Tennis Association turned down Israel’s request to postpone the match, but the International Tennis Federation, which sponsors the Davis Cup, intervened and changed the date to Sept. 15.
However, the International Tennis Federation ordered the Israeli national team to pay the Belgian team for the costs incurred by adding a day to the tournament, the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot reported.
Israel Tennis Association Chairman Asi Touchmair wrote on the organization’s website that the payment “is a detrimental blow to Israeli tennis.” — jta