The Swedish tennis federation has been fined $25,000 and Malmo has been banned from hosting Davis Cup matches for five years after the city's authorities opted to play the tie against Israel behind closed doors. The ITF also said in a statement the Swedish federation will have to pay an additional $15,000, which it would have received in gate receipts had the March 6-8 tie been open to spectators. The safety of the Israeli team members in Malmo – a city with a large Muslim community – prompted the local authorities to act. “The committee strongly condemned the decision by the city government of Malmo to refuse to allow spectators to attend the matches and the resultant fact that the Swedish Tennis Association played the tie behind closed doors,” the Davis Cup committee said in a statement on the ITF website (www.itftennis.com). Other conditions were also placed on Sweden by the committee, including a written guarantee that future ties will be open to the public. The ITF said Sweden would also lose the right to choose the ground if a similar situation occurs in the future.
