Indian federation seeks control of future tour events 03/09/2008 |
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Indian tennis authorities want to have direct control over future tour events after two tournaments were cancelled by their private promoters last week.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) slammed organisers after the Bangalore Open ATP event scheduled for Sept. 29 was called off over security concerns along with a WTA event in Mumbai promoted by Indian player Mahesh Bhupathi's company.
The ATP last week said organisers cited security issues after Bangalore was rocked by a series of bombs in July, killing one person.
AITA secretary Anil Khanna said both events were cancelled because the organisers could not find sponsors.
"This is absolutely not on, it is ridiculous," Khanna told Reuters on Tuesday. "I don't think any sensible Indian would say the country was not safe."
Khanna said the India-Australia cricket test was going ahead in Bangalore early next month, adding: "It is much easier to provide security for a tennis event."
He said such action by private parties hurt the nation's image and AITA would ask the men's and women's ruling bodies to give it direct control for staging any fresh event.
"In future, the AITA will not allow any private promoter to just come in," he said. "We will be hands on, if a promoter wants to join and we think they are capable, they can."
India has two other events, having staged the Chennai Open ATP event without a break since 1996 before adding a WTA event in Bangalore, which is run by the local tennis association.
"Maybe we can add two more events, but not more than that," he said.
He claimed private promoters quoted inflated amounts which discouraged sponsors and said the federation was determined to put an end to that.
(Source: Reuters)
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