Hameed lashes out at ITF for shifting Pakistan-India Davis Cup tie.

ISLAMABAD -- Bowing down to the Indian pressure, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) deprived Pakistani spectators of witnessing the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group-I tie against India by shifting it from Islamabad to a neutral venue.

The ITF Davis Cup Committee took that decision on late Monday night. In the ITF statement, they claimed, 'Following a review of the latest advice given by the ITF's independent security advisors, the Davis Cup Committee has taken the decision that the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group-I tie between Pakistan and India, which was rescheduled on November 29 and 30, as earlier, the ITF had postponed the tie, which was to be held in September in Islamabad, has been shifted from Islamabad to a neutral venue.

In their statement, they further stated that the ITF and Davis Cup Committee's first priority has always been the safety of athletes, officials and spectators and the decision was made on this basis. 'As per the Davis Cup Regulations, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has now the choice to nominate a neutral venue and has five working days to confirm their proposed venue, which will be announced once the choice has been submitted and approved,' it concluded.

Talking to The Nation on Tuesday, legendary Davis Cupper and recipient of Pride of Performance Hameed-ul-Haq said, 'I had already warned the PTF of another shock, when the ITF had postponed the tie in September. I was sure that the ITF would shift the tie to a neutral venue. It is because of non-technical and non-professional persons involved in the PTF. It is a huge shock for the tennis community and tennis lovers, as it was one of the weakest teams selected by the Indian Tennis Federation and Pakistan had bright chances of inflicting a huge defeat on the arch-rivals.

'The top four Indian players, including captain Mahesh Bhupati, had refused to travel to Pakistan. I was long requesting PTF President Salim Saifullah Khan to have mercy on tennis and let professionals run the affairs, as people, who had zero background of tennis, can't help Pakistan tennis, but unfortunately no heed was paid. They consider me and all those, who speak...

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