Indonesia's Fed Cup team are awaiting word from the government on whether they can go to Israel for a tie in July, the country's tennis federation said on Thursday.
Israel have been drawn to host Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, in the world group II playoffs, but the two countries have no diplomatic relations and Indonesia has barred sports teams from competing in the Jewish state.
"We will go, if the government allows us," Soebronto Laras, secretary-general of Indonesia's Tennis Federation, told Reuters.
"I already sent a letter to the Indonesian Sports Committee, Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Foreign Affairs but there's no answer yet," he added.
The Indonesian federation had also asked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to move the July 15-16 match to a neutral venue but so far the request had been declined, Laras said.
Israeli officials said they would not agree to moving the tie outside Israel and that sport and politics should not be mixed.
"We have no intention of playing the tie at any venue outside Israel and we will not entertain any request to move it to a neutral venue," Israel Tennis Association spokesman Lidor Goldberg said. "We have already begun preparations to host the tie as scheduled.
"Israeli tennis fans have not had the pleasure of seeing their women players at home in a Fed Cup tie for 10 years and we have no intention of denying them this opportunity."
"Throughout the years we have said that we will not mix politics and sport and we want it to be the same this time. The Israel Tennis Association will be very happy if the Indonesian team will arrive to play against us in Israel because we prefer that our victory should be a sporting one on the court.
"It goes without saying that the Indonesians will receive all the appropriate protection and the best possible welcome."
In London, the ITF said the two countries had until May 9 to agree on a venue.
"Our position is that the match has been drawn to be played in Israel and it is up to the Israelis where it is played," a spokesman said.
"If Indonesia fail to travel that would be treated by the ITF as a withdrawal and Israel would go through."
(Additional reporting by Jon Bramley in London and Ori Lewis in Jerusalem)
© 2024 Rediff.com -