Pakistan tennis ace and the star Davis Cupper Aisamul Haq will be lodging an official complaint wit the ITF for the unjust and biased decision referee officiating the Pakistan and New Zealand Davis Cup tie at a neutral venue of Myanmar.
Addressing a press conference at Model Town K Block Club, Aisam and other members of the Pakistan’s Davis Cup team lamented the attitude of one of the referees.
“We were the host of the tie against New Zealand but for the last decade or so we have not been able to host the Davis Cup tie at home because of security concerns despite assurances of top level security. And this year for the first time Pakistan was allowed to select a neutral venue where New Zealand team was provided international standard facilities.
“But still then we faced the same racial and discriminating behaviour every Pakistan traveler abroad is facing post 9/11 scenario.
“We are sick and tired of our beloved country being negatively portrayed from everywhere from Hollywood to Bollywood, from London to New York, Paris and Frankfurt, Dubai, and South America as terrorist, killers haters of women and incompetent civilians,” he maintained.
“The governing body of tennis, the ITF, tried to help us by allowing us hosting right at a neutral venue. We respect them for what they do worldwide. However, one of their referees made a shocking decision that reeks of incompetence, prejudice, bias and discrimination. Aisam is traveling to London on Thursday to the headquarters of the ITF to make a personal appeal to the ITF to request that this tie be resumed from where it was interrupted,” said Pakistan’s non playing captain in Mohammad Khalid.
“New Zealand team has been making undue complaints on many accounts since their arrival in Myanmar. They had issues with Myanmat as a country, they were unhappy with official hotelPark Royal and the venue Pun Hlaing Gold and Country Club and the grass courts,” he maintained.
“Even the referee who forfeited the tie in favour of New Zealand asked me to ask the New Zealand team to play on hard court. But I asked him to ask them as an official of the ITF,” he added.
“But now we would like all Pakistan to know that if someone wants to insult us or discriminate against us, then we will not retaliate with derogatory comments or actions.
“We hope that the ITF will see that this decision on behalf of the referee was unjust and unfair and rectify this colossal blunder,” he added.