As fans may have noticed, WWE Monday Night Raw Superstar and former NXT Champion Sami Zayn did not participate in yesterday's Greatest Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia.

According to a report from ProWrestlingSheet.com, despite initial rumors that Sami actually chose not to participate in the event, it was actually a decision that was made by WWE officials.

As many fans are aware, Sami is of Syrian descent. There have been problems between Syria and Saudi Arabia, and because of this, Sami was kept off of the show for political reasons.

WWE issued the following statement:

“WWE is committed to embracing individuals from all backgrounds while respecting local customs and cultural differences around the world.”