LTA removes council member over Israel-Gaza post

5 months ago 112

Haq was appointed by the LTA to improve diversity

The Lawn Tennis Association has removed one of its council members for an inappropriate social media post about the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Wasim Haq was appointed to promote diversity and inclusion by the LTA and the Football Association, which has also suspended him.

A now-deleted post on X, referenced Adolf Hitler and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The LTA board said the post on 11 November was "unacceptable".

It added that the views expressed by Haq "in no way reflects the LTA's position or values", and he will be "removed from his role as an independent councillor with immediate effect".

Meanwhile, an FA statement said that it had started an investigation into Haq's conduct and that he will be suspended from his "council duties pending the outcome of the process".

Haq, who also serves on the board of England Golf, posted on X on Sunday that he wanted to "apologise unreservedly to anyone that has felt offended".

He added: "My tweet was directly in relation to comparing two individuals who in my eyes have caused contemporary and historical irreparable harm to victimised communities on both sides of this tragic conflict.

"I am not and never have been the kind of person that targets anyone or any community over any difference ever. I am not antisemitic and have never been accused of being so."

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