A tennis club in Belgium has suspended a player who made an anti-Semitic slur against a Jewish player in Antwerp, the Belgian Jewish monthly 'Joods Actueel' reported.
The Jewish player, identified only as Serge N., told the publication that the incident took place after a dispute over the validity of a point. Ludo Depooter, the tournament organizer, confirmed the details of the incident.
The match was then suspended by the club management, with the offending player removed from the tournament. Serge S. told the news agency JTA that he believed the club acted correctly, but added his opponent should be banned from playing in association matches, adding that he filed a criminal complaint against him with police.
Joods Actueel Editor Michael Freilich said the incident demonstrated the need to impose a fine system for hate speech. "Taking someone to court is a long and expensive procedure and not always worth it. But if someone would receive a fine, just as when speeding, and needs to pay €150 penalty, that will register better with them and with the rest of the populace."
Belgian law not only prohibits any public expression of racism, religious intolerance, anti-Semitism and xenophobia, but also the denial, trivialization, justification or approval of the Holocaust.
