The
world tennis ruling federation, International Tennis Federation (ITF)
has revealed that the Davis Cup Committee only imposed suspended fines
on Nigeria rather than sanctioned following its late withdrawal from the
2015 edition of the tournament in Egypt.
According to ITF Communications Officer, Jamie Renton, the imposed fine was to provide a positive trigger to encourage countries to compete at the Davis Cup tournament.
Renton told SportingLife via email: “Both Davis Cup and Fed Cup Committees this year have tried to change their approach to withdrawals. Whilst withdrawals are detrimental to our competitions, the participation and the interest of our member nations for our flagship event is a priority. Therefore, instead of fining a nation and suspending them for the following year, the Committees elected to impose suspended fines, the intention being to provide a positive trigger towards future participation. This principle was applied across all withdrawals, not only to the Nigerian case.”
It will be recalled that Nigeria withdrew from the 2015 edition of Africa Zone Group III of Davis Cup few days to the start of the championship in Cairo.
Meanwhile, ITF has drawn the West African giant with highly-rated Madagascar, Morocco and 13 others in the 2016 of the Africa Zone Group III of the championship.
With this, Nigeria’s quest for promotion to Group II will continue again in 2016 as they are expected to battle Group II relegated sides, Madagascar and Morocco and 13 others for places in the elite division.
According to ITTF, the 2016 edition of the Group III of the Africa zone will hold on the clay courts of the Antanarivo University in Madagascar on July 13 to 16 with 16 teams aiming for the two promotion slots available.
Besides the top rated teams like host – Madagascar and Morocco, other nations expected at the four-day tournament are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mozambique, Namibia and Rwanda.
The 16 countries are expected to be drawn into four groups while the matches will be played in round robin format with the winners of each group engaging in play-off against each other to determine the two nations that will be promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2017.
Nigeria’s maiden appearance in the Davis Cup was in 1974, while the best outing for Nigeria was in 1988 and 1989 when it reached the semifinals stage in Group I.
According to ITF Communications Officer, Jamie Renton, the imposed fine was to provide a positive trigger to encourage countries to compete at the Davis Cup tournament.
Renton told SportingLife via email: “Both Davis Cup and Fed Cup Committees this year have tried to change their approach to withdrawals. Whilst withdrawals are detrimental to our competitions, the participation and the interest of our member nations for our flagship event is a priority. Therefore, instead of fining a nation and suspending them for the following year, the Committees elected to impose suspended fines, the intention being to provide a positive trigger towards future participation. This principle was applied across all withdrawals, not only to the Nigerian case.”
It will be recalled that Nigeria withdrew from the 2015 edition of Africa Zone Group III of Davis Cup few days to the start of the championship in Cairo.
Meanwhile, ITF has drawn the West African giant with highly-rated Madagascar, Morocco and 13 others in the 2016 of the Africa Zone Group III of the championship.
With this, Nigeria’s quest for promotion to Group II will continue again in 2016 as they are expected to battle Group II relegated sides, Madagascar and Morocco and 13 others for places in the elite division.
According to ITTF, the 2016 edition of the Group III of the Africa zone will hold on the clay courts of the Antanarivo University in Madagascar on July 13 to 16 with 16 teams aiming for the two promotion slots available.
Besides the top rated teams like host – Madagascar and Morocco, other nations expected at the four-day tournament are Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mozambique, Namibia and Rwanda.
The 16 countries are expected to be drawn into four groups while the matches will be played in round robin format with the winners of each group engaging in play-off against each other to determine the two nations that will be promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2017.
Nigeria’s maiden appearance in the Davis Cup was in 1974, while the best outing for Nigeria was in 1988 and 1989 when it reached the semifinals stage in Group I.