Pakistan to fight on after Davis Cup appeal rejected

ISLAMABAD (AFP) –

Aqeel Khan of Pakistan plays Artem Sitak of New Zealand in their Davis Cup match in Yangon on April 5, 2013. Pakistan has vowed to fight on after the tennis world governing body rejected their appeal over their forfeited Davis Cup tie against New Zealand.

Pakistan on Wednesday vowed to fight on after the tennis world governing body rejected their appeal over their forfeited Davis Cup tie against New Zealand.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) upheld the decision to award the match played in Yangon last month to New Zealand because the court was unplayable.

Pakistan were 1-0 up and leading in the second match when Sri Lankan referee Ashita Ajigala stopped the match and awarded the tie to New Zealand, as the courts were Pakistan’s responsibility.

The Asia Oceania group II tie was shifted to Myanmar over security fears in Pakistan.

The ITF’s Davis Cup committee rejected the appeal by the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) on Tuesday, but PTF President Kaleem Imam said the fight would go on.

“The ITF have said that the referee’s decision was right but we will take the appeal to another forum and will fight on against the injustice done to us,” Imam told AFP.

“If the referee had felt the courts were not up to the mark, why did he start the tie in the first place?”

Announcing the appeal had been rejected, the governing body said the PTF could now take their case to the ITF board of directors.

Pakistan was forced to shift the tie to a neutral venue after the ITF declared Pakistan as unsafe and unsuitable for an international event.

Pakistan has been a no-go area for international sports teams since militant attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March 2009.