The sports ministry’s decision to bear the expenses of a jumbo 10-member Davis Cup contingent to Uzbekistan for the Asia-Oceania tie over this weekend has raised eyebrows.
The sports ministry’s decision to bear the expenses of a jumbo 10-member Davis Cup contingent to Uzbekistan for the Asia-Oceania tie over this weekend has raised eyebrows.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) never required government funding for the Davis Cup ties as it is supported adequately by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). However, this time around, the babus have cleared AITA’s request which includes return air tickets, boarding and lodging. By conservative estimate, this would work out to Rs25 lakh, sources said.
The moot point is: why did the AITA need money from the ministry? Or, is the London Olympics being used as an excuse to milk the ministry? After clearing the entire trip, the sports ministry has realised it has been taken for a ride. At a time when clearance from the sports ministry is difficult to get, the decision to back a Davis Cup team to the hilt is raising eyebrows.
The Davis Cup is the oldest event in the history of the sport and is well supported by a consortium of sponsors. With BNP Paribas as the title sponsor, the ITF doesn’t have to worry.
In addition, the Davis Cup website says it has several other international global sponsors. The logic is the ITF pays all national tennis associations adequate money so that they are not under any pressure.
The payment which ITF makes to AITA comes under two heads: prize money component and payment in lieu of advertising. In the last three decades, the AITA has never revealed what it gets from the ITF as payment in lieu of advertising. But sources say the money is handsome and the AITA is financially sound. However, when it comes to utilising funds for players, the AITA never loosens its purse strings.
“We were given the impression that the AITA has to bear the entire expenditure. Since the matter has now been brought to our knowledge, the sports ministry will re-examine this entire case,” a senior sports ministry official told DNA on Tuesday.
It’s now learnt that this issue will be taken up for discussion on Thursday after the return of joint secretary (sports) Onkar Kedia. In fact, the AITA gave the sports ministry the impression that this Davis Cup tour should be treated as a Olympic preparatory event and thus need to be funded completely.
The total number of 10 members — five players, one non-playing captain, one coach and three support staff — will go to Uzbekistan on a week-long tour for the tie to be held from April 6-8.
AITA secretary Anil Khanna could not be reached.
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