Mahesh Bhupathi: All you need to know about the Davis Cup controversy

India's tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi broke his silence on the Davis Cup controversy just days after he was replaced as the non-playing captain of the Indian team. Taking to Twitter, Mahesh Bhupathi revealed that he had received a call from AITA chairman Hiranmoy Chatterjee on Monday, informing him that Rohit Rajpal will be replacing him as the captain as he wasn't comfortable traveling to Pakistan. Mahesh Bhupathi further said that he not heard from the AITA ever since ITF decided to shift the venue of the India-Pakistan Davis Cup tie to a neutral venue. Mahesh Bhupathi also said that he still believed that he was the captain unless he heard so otherwise. 

Mahesh Bhupathi breaks his silence

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What is the controversy all about?

Former tennis ace and India's non-playing Davis Cup captain Mahesh Bhupathi had written to the AITA earlier, raising security concerns for the players traveling to Pakistan and seeking clarity on the same. This came amid flaring tensions between India and Pakistan, with the former boycotting the latter and not sending the teams to play there over security issues. Bilateral series of any sport between India and Pakistan was suspended over Pakistan-backed terrorism and it's involvement in terror attacks on India. However, the AITA had earlier maintained that the Home Ministry and the Sports Ministry did not raise an objection with the venue of the tie. However, AITA decided to seek ITF's intervention to shift the venue to a neutral venue, citing security concerns and possible threats to the lives of the players.

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"We were demanding for a neutral venue and we got it"

AIl India Tennis Association General Secretary Hiranmoy Chatterjee said Indian players were happy that India-Pakistan tie will now be held at a neutral venue, a decision taken by ITF. "We are happy with the decision and that good sense prevailed. The security situation in Pakistan was not conducive to play the Davis Cup tie there. We have been demanding a neutral venue and we have got it. Obviously, its a victory for our sports diplomacy. Players did not play any role in it. It is an independent decision taken by ITF not under any pressure but on AITA's demand to review the security situation. They did it and found merit in our demands and that's why they have shifted this out," Hiranmoy Chatterjee told Republic TV on a telephonic conversation. 

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ITF's statement

A statement released by ITF said, “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 on 29-30 November 2019, must be played at a neutral venue. The ITF and Davis Cup Committee’s first priority has always been the safety of athletes, officials and spectators and the decision were made on this basis. The Pakistan Tennis Federation now has five working days to choose and confirm their proposed venue."

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