Stung by the two-year ban imposed on him, Tennis Player Mahesh Bhupathi lashed out today at India’s tennis association AITA, which has banned him from playing for the country for two years. Bhupathi accused the association of harming the sport and said tennis in the country was a disaster right now.
“I am here to detail episodes of the personal vendetta the AITA and its dictatorial rule have carried out against me over the last decade. Tennis has given me everything I am today and, by god’s grace, I am able to give back a lot to my sport, be it running tennis events, building tennis courts, raising money for talented kids and even opening academies across the country,” Bhupathi read out his statement at a media conference here.
“Khanna has redefined the term divide and rule. The AITA and its dictatorial attitude, and its administration are harmful for the future of Indian tennis,” Bhupathi said at a press conference here today where he also circulated his correspondence with the AITA ahead of the London Olympics.
“However, at every step of the way, the establishment has put spokes in the wheel. So much so that they changed the constitution to make sure I am not able to run any event in India without them being a part of it.
“Anil has been upset with me for being able to develop talent, which he should have done. For developing avenue and for developing the game.”
Talking about the fiasco ahead of the Games, he said: “No one made an effort to talk to me or Leander. Zero effort was made to get us in a room and solve the issue.
“Two days after the beginning of French Open, AITA told me that we (Bhupathi and Sania Mirza) weren’t the obvious choice for mixed doubles in Olympics.”
Referring to Khanna, Bhupathi said the AITA’s executive committee was only about one man.
“I truly believe the executive committee is one man and one man only. That is the way the sport has been governed for a long time” he said.
