International Olympic Committee Intervention Required in Tennis Administration: Anil Khanna
Anil Khanna, International Tennis Federation vice-president, the sport was actually being controlled by a few powerful nations with huge commercial interests
The core of international tennis jolted by a match-fixing scandal, International Tennid Federation (ITF) vice-President Anil Khanna said it's high time that a neutral body like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) steps in to revamp the sport's governing structure. (Tennis Authorities Deny Suppressing Match-Fixing Reports After Latest Allegations)
The day one of the Australian Open began with a media report claiming that top-50 players were suspected of match-fixing in the last decade and at least seven of them will compete this year at Melbourne Park. (Novak Djokovic Reveals Match-Fixing Approach Early in his Career)
The BBC report alleged that Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), which was formed to police the sport in 2007, has not pursued several leads, provided by betting companies, seriously. (Tennis Match-Fixing's Main Corruption Allegations Highlighted)
Khanna said ITF may be the world governing body of the game but the sport was actually being controlled by a few powerful nations with huge commercial interests. He said ITF cannot be blamed for the alleged mess since TIU was not solely managed by it.
"On the formation of TIU, I have to clarify that TIU is represented by ATP, WTA, Grand Slam Committee and also the ITF. ITF is not the only controller of the TIU as it is funded by all the four organisations. Therefore, it is not entirely ITF's responsibility to address these issues. This will have to be done in a collective manner," Khanna said.
"I feel a change will be required. As an Indian I am aware that when serious allegations of match fixing were raised against IPL, Supreme Court of India stepped in to protect the integrity of the game.
"In case of tennis there is no one such body which can step in other than the four organisations which are controlling the game. To my mind the only neutral body which can intervene is the International Olympic Committee which can look into these issues and also the governing pattern of ITF," Khanna suggested.