ITF sets guidelines...

Haggerty clarified that Khanna will attend the meeting as ATF president not as ITF vice president. “He will not be able to give any assurances or comments on behalf of the ITF,” said Haggerty. “The ITF will receive his report in due course and will take matters from there.” Haggerty also assured the POC that the meeting will not be an election.

“I understand that the POC has communicated that it is unable to send an observer to any planned meeting because it would not comply with the relevant POC requirements on elections,” said Haggerty. “It is not the ITF’s understanding that the meeting with Mr. Khanna will include an election which would be directly contrary to the position set out in my letter of Oct. 20 … and I trust that this is simply a misunderstanding and have also written to Mr. Khanna in this regard.”

International Tennis Federation (ITF) president David Haggerty said the other day he will reserve judgment on how to settle the recognition issue of the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) pending the submission of the report of Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) president Anil Khanna on the proceedings of today’s meeting with Filipino tennis stakeholders and sports officials.

Khanna arrived yesterday and will attend the meeting he asked Philta president Atty. Antonio Cablitas to convene. Cablitas invited the Philta Board of Trustees, POC president Jose Cojuangco, Jr., POC first vice president Joey Romasanta, POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros and PSC chairman Butch Ramirez to join the meeting with Khanna starting at 10 this morning at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel.

Cablitas, who was elected as Philta president last June but has not received recognition from either the POC or ITF, said he’s reaching out to Filipino tennis stakeholders to collaborate in pushing the sport forward as a united community. The POC has refused to recognize Philta’s last three elections due to alleged irregularities since the resignation of Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez as president in June 2016. Despite Olivarez’ resignation, the POC continues to recognize him as Philta president. The row has prompted the ITF to threaten Philta with a suspension that will disqualify the Philippines from participating in official team competitions, such as the Davis Cup and Asian Games, unless the issue of recognition is resolved.

Haggerty called on the Philta Board to approach Khanna’s visit “with a spirit of positivity and constructiveness in an effort to resolve this unhappy situation.” He said, “I remain hopeful that Philta will engage openly and constructively with the ITF … (and) I confirm that we will progress our consideration of whether formal action under By-Law 7 is warranted in the coming weeks.” ByLaw 7 stipulates sanctions on National Sports Associations like Philta that violate ITF rules or go against ITF policy.