Davis Cup match to be played in empty arena
If no fans are allowed, who’s to say it really happened? From AP-
Sweden and Israel will play their first-round Davis Cup match in an empty arena next month because of security concerns.
Several anti-Israeli demonstrations are planned during the best-of-five series, which will be played March 6-8 at the 4,000-seat Baltic Hall.
Malmo officials announced the decision afterg a vote on the issue in the city’s recreational committee. The Swedish Social Democratic Party and the Left Party won the vote 5-4 after a long debate.
The committee said it could not guarantee security for the fans.
“It’s a high-risk match,” committee chairman Bengt Forsberg was quoted as saying by Swedish news agency TT.
High risk from what? Hysteria? This website claims Sweden has stricter gun laws than the US and a lower homicide rate.
Only officials, some sponsors and journalists will be allowed to enter the arena.
Journalists can be trusted never to be violent…..Oops.
*****
This will be the second time a Davis Cup match will be played in an empty arena in Sweden. In 1975, two years after a military coup led by Augusto Pinochet against the elected Chilean government of Salvador Allende, Sweden played Chile in Bastad and no spectators were allowed.
History always repeats itself. I have written three Tennis posts in less than a week. What’s next? Another post about figure skating?
- Davis Cup fines Sweden $25,000
- Australia forfeits Davis Cup match
- NBA investigating security breach in Dallas-Portland game
- Peter Forsberg seeks wants to play in the NHL again
- Detroit Catcher Gerald Laird and his brother arrested after brawl
- Up in the air- Spectator removed from rafters at Detroit Red Wing game
- Italian Soccer Teams Play Without Fans
- Church Super Bowl Party Cancelled…by the NFL
- Tennis stadium evacuated for bag scare
- Tanzanian soccer referees banned over match-fixing
- Eight is Enough- Edmonton beats Chicago 8-4
- Lydia Ko wins New South Wales Open
- The Comeback I- Pittsburgh Penguins beat NY Islanders 5-0
- Seattle Mariners Outfielder Greg Halman stabbed to death at age 24
- Hee Young Park wins CME Titleholders Championship
- Oklahoma State Women’s Basketball Coach Kurt Budke dead at 50
- Costly mistake- Blackhawks waive Rostislav Olesz
- Manager Tony La Russa announces retirement
- Puck Drop- Florida Panthers start the 2011-12 NHL season
- 13-time PGA Tour winner Dave Hill dead at 74