The ITF board voted unanimously to suspend Tunisia from next year's Davis Cup competition with President Francesco Ricci Bitti warning "this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members."

"There is no room for prejudice of any kind in sport or in society," said Ricci Bitti

"The ITF Board decided to send a strong message to the Tunisian Tennis Federation that this kind of action will not be tolerated by any of our members.

"The Board felt that suspension from Davis Cup, a competition that was founded 113 years ago to encourage better understanding through sport, would provide a good lesson for the Federation and a fitting penalty for their unfortunate action."

Tunisia were knocked out of the 2013 Davis Cup by Latvia in the first round



Jaziri was sent an email by the Tunisian Tennis Federation ordering him not to play against the Israeli opponent, with the communication being given to a Tunisian State News Agency by Jaziri's brother, Amir.

Israel and Tunisia do not have any diplomatic ties and limited relations were severed in 2000 by the Tunisians following the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

"We think this was the correct decision that makes clear that politics has no place in sport and we hope that [Tunisia] will heed the lesson and will return to the Davis Cup next year," said Israel's Tennis Association chairman Assi Tuchmayr.

Last month the International Swimming Federation (FINA) issued a warning to organisers of last World Cup meetings in Dubai and Doha after Israeli athletes were negatively treated at both events.

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