Swansea star Shechter banned from Dubai because he holds Israeli passport



Itay Shechter was forced to stay behind from the rest of the Swansea squad this week after he was banned from entering Dubai.



Israel international Shechter was blocked from joining his team-mates in the Middle East for their warm-weather training camp.



Swansea jetted out to the United Arab Emirates in preparation for their Capital One Cup final against Bradford on February 24.



Ban: Itay Shechter has been forced to train in Swansea this week after being blocked from entering Dubai

But Shechter, who could start at Wembley, discovered he would be denied access for the six-day trip because he holds an Israeli passport.



Shechter, 25, was turned away due to the on-going political conflict between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.



It is believed the on-loan Kaiserslautern striker was denied a visa as the UAE does not recognise Israel as a state.



He is now training with former club Hapoel Tel Aviv and will rejoin the Welsh side on their return ahead of Sunday's trip to Liverpool.



Swansea manager Michael Laudrup said: 'Cancelling the trip was a possibility, but I thought we'd just made the arrangements and then would have to change.



In action: Shechter was turned away due to the on-going political conflict between Israel and the UAE

'When we have to plan this again then we will look into if all our players can come.'

Swansea were not alone in heading to Dubai this week.



Premier League sides QPR and Reading made the most of a break in the calendar as they escaped the big freeze.



Significantly Shechter's fellow countryman Tal Ben Haim, who was barred from making the same trip as a Bolton player in 2006, has travelled with Rangers as he now holds a British passport.

