The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has eliminated council member Wasim Haq after a social media put up that stated “Adolf Hitler would be proud of Benjamin Netanyahu”.
Haq additionally holds positions with England Golf and the Football Association (FA).
He apologised and subsequently deleted a put up made on X, previously Twitter, that referenced the continued battle between Israel and Hamas, denying he was antisemitic.
Netanyanhu is in a 3rd spell as prime minister of Israel, which has retaliated after being attacked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on 7 October.
“Netanyahu has sacrificed his own people to maintain power,” Haq’s put up learn. “Whilst #Palestinians are trying to maintain their sanity. Adolf Hitler would be proud of Benjamin Netanyahu.”
The LTA stated in a press release: “The LTA Board considered this matter today and agreed that the tweet posted by Wasim Haq on 11 November was unacceptable and in no way reflects the LTA’s position or values.
“Therefore the Board have agreed that Wasim Haq will be removed from his role as an independent councillor with immediate effect.”
The FA, of which Haq is a council member, proceed to analyze the remark. He joined the FA as a “BAME Football Communities Representative” in 2019.
“Taking down the tweet and apologising is the minimum,” stated Lord Wolfson, who chairs the organisation’s Football Regulatory Committee. “That is necessary but it plainly can’t be a sufficient response.
“Using the language of nazism to attack Jewish or Israel is one of the examples of antisemitism by the IHRA [International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance], and the FA adopted the IHRA in January 2021. I’ve asked [the FA chair] Debbie Hewitt for a formal and urgent investigation. It is something to be treated with the utmost seriousness.”
Having deleted the put up over the weekend, Haq stated: “It has been brought to my attention that a tweet I published yesterday has caused offence. I have deleted the tweet and apologise unreservedly to anyone that has felt offended.”
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk