Fenty Explains Dubai Trip

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- It wasn't on his official schedule for last week, but today, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty explained that the government of Dubai paid for his trip last week to that country's tennis championship.

The event drew criticism after an Israeli female was denied a visa to compete for the women's championship won by Venus Williams.

The WTA fined Dubai organizers a record three hundred thousand dollars. A second Israeli was allowed to compete in the men's championship this week.

His spokesperson Mafara Hobson told 9NEWS NOW's Bruce Johnson in an exchange of text messages that "There was an official role where he met with local government officials and unofficial time spent visiting and touring with his family."

Fenty says his family paid for his wife and two sons to attend the week long tournament. He did not take his DC police security detail to the Middle Eastern country. The Mayor says no taxpayers dollars were involved in the trip.