Tennis chief demands govt funds

KARACHI: The claims of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) that finances were never a problem for them were exposed as hollow on Tuesday when the federation asked the government to rescue it.

President PTF Salim Saifullah while talking to media in Islamabad urged the government to financially support PTF, saying it had spent a huge amount on sending teams abroad for Davis Cup ties at natural venues.

It is worth adding here that PTF despite resistance from its officials and its Davis Cup Committee sent the team to play against China in Sri Lanka. It cost the federation around Rs4 million.

Salim said that the results (Pakistan lost 0-5 to China) could not be improved if the government did not come to the rescue of Pakistan tennis with reasonable financial support.

A source associated with PTF said that even the head of the selection committee Saeed Hai was not happy with the decision of sending the team to Sri Lanka. “This decision proved imprudent as Pakistan could not take any benefit of this neutral venue,” he said, adding that PTF was forced to take this decision under the pressure of an important player of the team.

Last year, PTF spent close to Rs8 million on neutral venues to help the country’s team move into Asian/Oceania Group-II in Davis Cup.

The current management first hosted Kuwait in Sri Lanka, spending about Rs4 million. Then it chose Turkey to host Chinese Taipei, spending Rs4 million.

In 2013, the federation hosted New Zealand in Myanmar, spending more than Rs 4 million but New Zealand were awarded the win in a controversial manner.