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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider PH players express serious concerns on ITF's two-year suspension

PH players express serious concerns on ITF's two-year suspension

Published Nov 28, 2020 03:48 pm

There seems to be a serious distress from within the Philippine Tennis Association now that they continue to disregard the suspension slapped against them by the International Tennis Federation on the basis of “long-standing governance failings.”

No less than members of the national team are making an appeal for their NSA to act on the ITF order as this continues to hamper their preparations for future international competitions.

PHILTA was given a two-year suspension by the ITF after they continue to snub deadlines given by the ITF to submit reportorial requirements, which should include plans for amending the constitution to increase memberships.

ITF President David Haggerty himself has branded the PHILTA of being an “exclusive membership base” and this does not qualify them to be a national sporting federation.

Haggerty also noted that PHILTA does not comprise of regional representatives of various sports organizations which should be presided over by the sporting clubs themselves.

With the ongoing suspension and the seemingly inaction on the part of PHILTA, current national team members are deeply concerned about the potential backlash of the failure of their NSA to act on this matter.

“It’s really hard for us tennis players, already contending with this pandemic, and then hearing that PHILTA being suspended by the ITF, hurts us even more. We’ve been out of competition for almost a year now and we just want to go back and be able compete again,” said national team player and former Australian doubles champion, Francis Casey Alcantara.

“Banning us from the Davis Cup and other team competitions sanctioned by the ITF, would be very hard to take in and accept.  I also hope that there’s going to be utmost transparency in the upcoming election,” added Alcantara.

Despite this, concerned players are still hoping for a unity within their association which may only be possible once the current PHILTA leadership will heed the call of the ITF.

One of the actions PHILTA must take is to comply with Haggerty’s order to submit PHILTA’s plan of action in diversifying its membership for an election to take place.

“The problem must be addressed for the sake of the national team and the whole tennis community.  Two years of being suspended is a long time,” added Clemente Barrera, father of three promising age-groupers.

Recently, PHILTA president Atty. Antonio Cablitas said he is not appealing the two-year suspension and will instead lean on the recommendation of Haggerty to fix the governance and representation issues.

He, however, reiterated that the suspension was based on a flawed and defective decision of the ITF-designated Independent Tribunal.

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