The legendary Vijay Amritraj on Wednesday said the national tennis federation should follow the government’s instruction on the Indian Davis Cup team’s visit to Pakistan for an upcoming tie.
“We should 100 per cent follow what the government sayson the issue. They know the intricacies of what happens. I think the MEA andthe Prime Minister’s Office will take a call. The global perspective in thisscenario is very important,” he said while replying to a question as towhether India should travel to Pakistan.
The AITA has said that the Sports Ministry has not raisedany objection to the Indian team travelling to the neighbouring nation.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a press conferenceto announce the national junior tennis championship, he recalled thecircumstances that led to India boycotting the 1974 Davis Cup final againstSouth Africa over the apartheid issue.
“It was a bigcall because India could have won the Davis Cup trophy. From a humanperspective it was the right thing to do. It was important for India to takethat stand… It was an incredibly heart-wrenching move. It was very difficultfor us. As sportsmen and sportswonen we don’t see the big picture…” headded.
In 1987, India faced a similar situation as they had to faceIsrael in a Davis Cup quarterfinal tie and there was a call to boycott the tie,Amritraj recalled.
He, further said he took up the issue with the then PrimeMinister and convinced him the importance of playing the match, which Indiawon.In the light of Indian non-playing captainMahesh Bhupathi seeking a clarification from AITA over security issues in theneighbouring nation, Amritraj, now the TNTA president, said security is vitaland added “no question, both governments will pay attention, nobody willwant anything to happen.”