ISLAMABAD: India has appealed against the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Davis Cup Committee’s decision with regards to Pakistan's hosting rights for the February 2024 tie.
In a major breakthrough last month, the ITF rejected security concerns of All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) and asked the Indian Federation to send its team for the clash, failing which the tie will be awarded to Pakistan.
The 15-member Davis Cup Committee 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 has no solid grounds for not traveling to Pakistan. “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 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 said.
The AITA, however, has lodged an appeal with the ITF Davis Cup Committee to reconsider the decision because of general elections to be held in Pakistan on February 8 with the tie to be held just a few days ahead of these elections.
The PTF is adamant that the tie is planned in the safest possible environment and AITA concerns have no basis. No political party in Pakistan has ever contested elections fueling enmity against India. The reality about Pakistan elections are other way around as almost all the leading political parties in Pakistan openly campaign on developing good relations with neighbouring countries including India.
“So India’s excuse holds no value as the factual position is totally opposite.” Following the appeal by the AITA, the ITF Davis Cup Committee has convened a meeting later this week to discuss the Indians’ concerns.
This is not the first time that the AITA has taken a totally unjustifiable and unreasonable position on playing the tie in Pakistan. The last time Team India was to visit Pakistan in 2019, under the same circumstances, the PTF, respecting ITF’s advice, most reluctantly agreed to a neutral venue, in Kazakhstan.
During the last few years Pakistan hosted all the leading Asian tennis playing countries Davis Cup teams with total success, earning praise from the visiting countries as well as from the international referees turning up for these ties.
Abdul Mohi Shah Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News
