ISLAMABAD: India have been directed to play the February 2024 tie in Islamabad after the chair of the Independent Tribunal upheld International Tennis Federation (ITF) Davis Cup Committee’s (DCC) decision.
Judge David Casserly (Sports Resolution UK) rejected All Indian Tennis Association’s (AITA) appeal against the Davis Cup Committee’s decision to allot the tie to Pakistan.
After going through all the relevant documents submitted by both parties, the Tribunal upheld the decision maintaining that there are no solid reasons to change the venue and all the reasons quoted by the AITA (Pakistan’s general elections and law and order) hold no worth.
“The DCC’s decision to hold the tie in Pakistan has solid grounds and it is pertinent on all the nations to visit the venue (country) selected by the DCC for the Davis Cup ties,” the Tribunal said.
It is the first time ever that Pakistan has defeated India’s point of view on an international forum twice in a couple of months’ time. It was DCC that rejected India’s concern, allotting the tie to Pakistan and then came the turn of Chair of Independent Tribunal which upheld DCC/PTF stance, rejecting AITA concerns altogether.
The chair of the Independent Tribunal also took feedback from the Security Consultant before reaching the decision.
The Chair of the Independent Tribunal directed the Indian Federation to send its team for the tie, failing which the tie will be awarded to Pakistan. The 15-member Davis Cup Committee earlier accepted the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) presentation, making it clear that Pakistan has every right to host the tie to be held in the first week of February in Islamabad.
The Committee in a consensus decision declared that India’s stance not to travel to Pakistan has no solid grounds.
“There is no such situation in Pakistan where an Indian team cannot travel and participate in the Davis Cup tie. Pakistan has hosted some important Davis Cup ties just recently in a successful manner so there is no solid grounds as to why Pakistan cannot host the tie against India in a befitting manner. Maintaining law and order is a sole responsibility of the host nation. Indian team should rest assured that required security measures will be in order for their travel and participation,” the committee opined.
The PTF in its presentation to DCC and later to the Tribunal maintained that the tie is planned in the safest possible environments and AITA’s concerns have no basis.
The presentation also highlighted recent sports exchanges between the two countries, including India baseball, kabaddi and bridge teams’ visits to Pakistan. After going through the presentation, the ITF DCC decided the case in favour of Pakistan, directing the AITA to send their team for the tie, failing which the tie will be awarded to Pakistan.
When The News approached President PTF, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, said: “Dismissal of the appeal by AITA is, indeed, a big and important decision for Pakistan tennis, and our fraternity who anxiously awaited the award of the Independent Tribunal. I am grateful to the DC Committee for upholding our views, the ITF management for their support in the matter, and to the Learned Chair of the Tribunal for appreciating the contents of our submissions in respect of on-ground realities in Islamabad. The Indian team coming to play here would auger well for tennis lovers, and for international sports, overall.”
Abdul Mohi Shah Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News
