Middle East conflict: How is sport dealing with travel disruption?

Dubai Tennis Championships winner Daniil Medvedev is among the tennis players facing a disruption to their schedule.

The Russian’s representative said they were trying to establish how Medvedev could travel to California for next week’s Indian Wells tournament after the UAE “partially and temporarily” closed its airspace.

Finland’s Harri Heliovaara, winner of the men’s doubles event alongside Britain’s Henry Patten, said his travel plans are “still uncertain”.

“All of us players, the finalists and a few other doubles players, are stuck in Dubai. [Plus] all of the ATP staff, the umpires, physiotherapists, coaches and other team and family members – a total of about 30 people,” Heliovaara wrote in his blog, external.

He added that the option of leaving by road had been explored, but that would involve either a five-hour drive to Muscat – although bad traffic jams have been reported at the Oman border – or a journey exceeding 10 hours to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The ATP said it remains in direct contact with those affected, with “a small number of players and team members” still in Dubai being accommodated in official tournament hotels “where their immediate needs are being fully supported”.

The ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah, UAE is going ahead as planned this week, but operating with heightened security measures and taking place behind closed doors as a precautionary step.