Olympian Moh Ahmed joins call to cancel Canada’s Davis Cup tie with Israel in Halifax

A general view of the match between Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal and Netherlands' Botic Van De Zandschulp during a Davis Cup quarterfinal match at Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Four-time Olympian Moh Ahmed is one of 413 Canadian signatories calling on Tennis Canada to cancel Canada’s Davis Cup tie with Israel in Halifax this September.

Ahmed, a runner from St. Catharines, Ont., who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, signed a letter that frames the Sept. 12-13 Davis Cup tie against the backdrop of what it calls rising condemnation of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, citing legal scholars and human rights groups who have described it as genocide against the Palestinian people.

The signatories note that Canada has already sanctioned senior Israeli cabinet ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir -- a move that mirrored actions by the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Norway -- and argue it would be `unconscionable’ to proceed with the competition.

Among the signatories are three UN Special Rapporteurs, two Palestinian women’s national soccer players now at York University, and Hernan Humana, a former Olympic beach volleyball coach and current York professor.

The letter cites athletes elsewhere who have refused to face Israeli opponents, and urges national sport bodies to bar Canadians from competing against Israelis in any international event.

It said sport has historically been used to promote national sentiment tied to both “genocide” and the dismantling of “apartheid states,” adding, “This is an important moment for Sport Canada and Tennis Canada to promote social justice and stand on the right side of history.”

Tennis Canada said the Davis Cup tie will go ahead in Halifax under the International Tennis Federation’s competition structure. The organization said it will work with authorities to ensure safety and fairness.

“Tennis Canada acknowledges the ongoing and deeply complex situation in the Middle East,” the organization said in a statement, adding that its role is to promote the sport and provide opportunities for players and fans while ensuring the Halifax tie is contested in a safe and professional environment.

“Our focus remains on ensuring a safe, fair, and professional competition for all athletes, staff, volunteers and spectators.”

The tie at Scotiabank Centre will determine which country advances to the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers. Canada was relegated to World Group I after a 3-2 loss to Hungary in February’s first-round qualifier in Montreal.

The last time Canada hosted a Davis Cup tie in Halifax was in 2016 when it swept Chile 5-0.

The Canadians defeated Israel 3-2 in their most recent meeting, a 2011 tie played in Ramat Hasharon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2025.