(CNN)  -- The Tennis Channel has canceled plans to broadcast a tournament in Dubai because an Israeli player was banned. Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates. Shahar Peer, the 45th-ranked women's player according to the World Tennis Association, qualified to compete in this week's Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships but was denied a visa by the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the UAE. The cable network had planned to air parts of the tournament this weekend. "Tennis Channel recognizes that this exclusion has been made by state authorities and neither the tour nor tournament directors themselves," said a statement posted on the channel's Web site Wednesday. "However we also honor the role and proud tradition that tennis has always played as a driving force for inclusion both on and off the courts.
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United Arab Emirates denies visa to Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer
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Tennis Channel: Sport should be 'driving force for inclusion ... on and off the courts'
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Wall Street Journal Europe drops sponsorship of Barclays Dubai Tennis tourney
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Peer thanks channel: 'I was very moved and excited to hear about your decision'
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