Former India No.1 singles player Somdev Devvarman and ex-doubles specialist Purav Raja have taken the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to court accusing the tennis governing body of being a ‘serial offender’ in violating Sports Code, days before the elections on Saturday, September 28. (More Tennis News)
In a petition that was filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday, September 23, the two former India tennis stars have alleged that the AITA has violated various provisions of the Sports Code, that includes the ‘lack of any seats for athletes in the Central Council / General Assembly of AITA, lack of any mechanism for athletes to elect eminent sportspersons of outstanding merit to represent them in the Central Council / General Assembly, lack of reservation of seats for athletes in the Executive Committee and lack of any mechanism whereby athletes are elected from the Central Council / General Assembly to the Executive Committee,’ according to the Indian Express.
The duo has also made the government a party to the case, alleging the ‘(Sports) Ministry has never once made efforts to ascertain if AITA is in compliance with the SportsCode.. and has turned a blind eye to multiple patent violations.’
Indian tennis is at an all-time low, and the wounds widened after their Davis Cup loss.
While AITA accused players of not playing the tournament on purpose, the players have also replied with their own accusations.
India were recently hammered 0-4 by Sweden, and AITA secretary Anil Dhupar said that top players like Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri missing out did play a part in the national team’s chances of progressing in World Group I in Sweden.
