(CNN) -- A Dutch football club is facing criticism for playing in the United Arab Emirates, despite being told its Israeli defender would not be allowed in the country. Vitesse Arnhem, second in the Dutch league, is in Abu Dhabi for training and matches with two German teams during its mid-season break. The team's spokeswoman Esther Bal says the team was told just one day before the trip that defender Dan Mori could not enter the UAE. Like most Arab countries, the UAE does not recognize Israel, and its immigration policies stipulate that Israeli citizens will be refused admission. Still, Bal says planning for the trip began about six weeks ago and the team had been assured on the phone repeatedly that the 25-year-old Mori would be allowed to enter because he was an athlete.
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Vitesse Arnhem under pressure after its Israeli defender was not allowed entry to the UAE
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Dutch club was told just a day before travelling to UAE that Dan Mori could not enter
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UAE does not recognize Israel
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Dutch club says it "had obligations" to the teams they were playing
This is not the first time the UAE has come under pressure for stopping @placeholder athletes from entering.