AITA vindicates bar on Bhupathi-Bopanna

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Sunday said their decision to bar Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna from national duty for two years is a message to the youngsters to refrain from indiscipline.

AITA secretary-general Bharat Oza said they have taken a disciplinary action against the players for having rebelled against selection committee’s decision for the Olympics but hurried to clarify that it was not a ban.

The AITA executive committee meeting on Saturday decided that the two players will not be considered for selection for India till June 2014. This makes them eligible for selection only for the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea in September.

“The disciplinary action was needed to send across a message to young players who aspire to play for India that this kind of action we will not be tolerated,” Oza told reporters. “We are no one to ban any player. But we have taken an action within our powers.”

The AITA is yet to formulate a code of conduct for the players but said it had punished the players based on their “rules and regulations.”

“We do not have a code of conduct where it is mentioned that a player can be punished for so and so period. We are still in the process of formulating it and will come up in two to three months,” Oza said. "This decision was taken based on the rules and regulation of AITA that mentions that action can be taken against a player for disciplinary breach.”

Asked why no action was taken against Leander Paes, who also openly aired his reservations playing with Vishnu Vardhan, and also skipped the current Davis Cup tie for Team Tennis, Oza said: “Leander said he was willing to play with anyone. At least he did not do anything in indisciplinary manner.

As for the Davis Cup tie, he was hurt and emotionally drained. He did not want to face media scrutiny so soon. We have to consider if a player is mentally and physically fit. He requested if he can be excused," Oza said.

Somdev Devvarman played in the US Open but pulled out of the Davis Cup tie citing niggles. Oza said Somdev kept them in the loop about his participation in US Open. “I spoke to him and it was because of monetary benefits and protecting the rankings points he had to play. He is not fit and we have to give him time to recover.”

Mahesh Bhupathi  tweeted his reaction on Saturday night. “The cranky old grandfathers on the executive committee, who have never played tennis waiting for a reaction? There is one coming. Stay tuned!”

He will be addressing the matter on Tuesday in Mumbai.