New Delhi: The International Tennis Federation (ITF), on Monday, announced that the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I game between Pakistan and India be moved out of Pakistan and to be played at a neutral venue.
The decision comes after the All India Tennis Federation (AITA) had made multiple requests to the ITF to shift the venue from Pakistan citing security concerns. The tie is scheduled to take place on November 29-30.
The November 29-30 contest has already been rescheduled once owing to security concerns raised by India.
The tie was scheduled to be held in September but was delayed when India expressed concerns about the safety of their players due to the prevailing diplomatic tensions between the two nations after the revocation of Article 370.
"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 said in a statement.
"The ITF and Davis Cup Committee's first priority has always been the safety of athletes, officials and spectators and the decision was made on this basis," the statement added.
According to Davis Cup regulations, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) now has the choice to nominate a neutral venue. It has five working days to confirm their proposed venue.
