Israeli tennis player has flag taken off WTA site before Malaysian Open

The Women’s Tennis Association has reinstated Julia Glushko’s international status on their website after her nationality and Israel’s flag was taken away from her profile page, ahead of her scheduled participation at the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur.

Organisers of the event had requested all references to her being Israeli should be removed from the WTA website, in order for her to be allowed to take part in the event.

Happy the profile had been changed, Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev, said: “The age when we were demanded to hide our identity ended 69 years ago, “I’m happy that my demand to return the Israeli symbols to Julia Glushko’s profile was accepted.”

Glushko, who’s ranked 215 in the world didn’t take part in the event, as she pulled out due to illness.