Pakistan tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi has termed International Tennis Federation's (ITF) decision to shift the Indo-Pak Davis Cup tie to a neutral venue as "shocking and disgraceful", saying, by doing so the world body has discriminated with his country.
"A really shocking, embarrassing, disgraceful, sad and unfair decision by @ITF_Tennis to hold this @DavisCup tie on a neutral venue. Once again #Pakistan is getting penalised for someone else's actions. To me it's an absolute discrimination at every level," tweeted Qureshi, who had paired with India's Rohan Bopanna in the ATP circuit in the past.
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In a big relief for India's national tennis federation (AITA), the ITF on Monday decided to shift the country's Davis Cup tie against Pakistan from Islamabad to a neutral venue. The November 29-30 contest has already been rescheduled once, owing to security concerns raised by India.
The tie was scheduled to be held in September but was delayed when India expressed concerns about the safety of their players due to the prevailing diplomatic tensions between the two nations after the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Davis Cup regulations, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) now has the choice to nominate a neutral venue. It has five working days to confirm its proposed venue.
The PTF, however, will hold a crucial meeting on Wednesday to decide whether to appeal against the ITF's decision.
"We will decide at the meeting our next line of action. We have the option of appealing the ITF decision. Our top players like Aisam ul Haq and Aqeel Khan had made it clear earlier they would not be available for selection if the tie is not played in Islamabad," PTF president Saleem Saifullah said.
"It is a difficult situation for us. We have the option of selecting the neutral venue but it is difficult to find grass court venues now and if we have to play on hard courts it will be a big disadvantage to us," he said.
Saifullah said he was disappointed with the Indian approach to the Davis Cup tie.
"India has only politicised a sports event. From what I have heard the AITA was prepared to send its team to Islamabad but did not get clearance from their government. So, I classify it as politics," Saifullah said.
He said the PTF had made elaborate security arrangements for the Davis Cup tie which was already postponed from mid-September to late November.
"We were well prepared to host the event and we are still ready to do it. If they don't want spectators we can do that. But now first we have to decide what to do. Whether to appeal or not," he added.
Qureshi has already said that he's fed up with having to play home Davis Cup ties at neutral venues and would consider pulling out if the ITF shifted the venue out of the country.
