Mahesh Bhupathi on Monday threatened to drag All India Tennis Association (AITA) to the court for ousting him from India’s Davis Cup squad along with Rohan Bopanna, saying he was exploring if the national federation’s move was legal.
AITA had banned Bhupathi and Bopanna from representing the country till June 30, 2014 on disciplinary grounds.
Bhupathi will address a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday to give his side of the story and reveal his next move.
“Rohan has played for India for 10 years and I have played now for about 18 years now. And to get slapped with something like this, I take this as rough,” Bhupathi said.
“We are exploring it, we don’t know yet but I don’t think what they have done and the way they have done it is fully legal. So we are exploring it what they have done is right and obviously if not legal, we are gonna go after it,” he added.
Asked if he felt the AITA action was because of personal vendetta, Bhupathi said “Ya, believe so.”
“It’s been going on with me and association and heads of the federation for years now. I am just upset and afraid that my friend and partner Rohan has got caught in the middle of this dirty game. I have been quiet for a long time.”
Keywords: AITA, Mahesh Bhupathi, Davis Cup
Mahesh look at the comments on social media on the decision to ban you and your cohort. None of them are complimentary. You gave India the finger now accept the reward for such arrogance. You let the country down and fooled a youngster to blindly follow you!!
Bhupathi & Bopanna have no right to question the AITA's move. They are wholly responsible for the ban imposed on them. It is not right on part of any sports player to put unreasonable wishes when representing the country. They must learn the humbleness displayed by greats such as Sachin, Federer etc.
They deserve this Ban for their indiscipline during Olympics.
You asked for it, man.
At a crucial moment you refused to partner Paes, dictated terms and
India lost what could have been a match winning duo of you and
Paes.You two in spite of personal differences had played well in
earlier tournaments and won awards.Instead you paired with an untested
colt and in the end India did not, or rather could not put up a good
show. Nobody, not even Bhupathi is above the game. As the saying
goes"When the Great Scorer comes to write against your name he asks
you not whether you won or lost but how you played the game". You did
not bring credit to Indian Tennis by your obstreperous attitude. Now
you have been let out to pasture.
A ban that should have been put in place when Bhupathi refused to pair with Leander Paes. We have to side with AITA on this issue. No single player is above the association and Bhupathi is no exception. If rumours are to be believed, the show-off between Bhupathi and Leander is over a girl, it is extremely shameful and for the AITA to budge initially itself is a disgrace.
Look, AITA is a national body that was blackmailed by the players' during the Olympics. If what the players' did then - Rohan and Mahesh - is right, so is AITA, which anyway should have the last call .
Anyways, these 2 are better off retiring, after their show of 2 tired old men at the olympics. These have beens may get some more limelight out of a vindictive press conference, but it ain't going to help them.
As fans we are anyway now looking beyond these 2 old timers who did not even leave us with sympathetic feelings or respect for them as sports people by shaming the nation and making a joke out of olympic selection....
There should be a clear selection process based on ranking and fitness.
There should be no exceptions. We should not prevent good players from
representing our country. It is a waste talent. Let us not go Chris
Gayle way as in the West Indies.
“Rohan has played for India for 10 years and I have played now for about 18 years now." As far as I know the average retirement age of top male players is 30 years. When will our cricketers, tennis players learn to quit while at the top.
A very good decision by All India Tennis Association. They should not be afraid of such persons. He threatened not to play with Mr Leander Peas in Olympics and also made Mr Bopanna also not to play with Mr Peas. Many of us do not like his behaviour.
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