VIPs asked to step into ATP world doubles crisis
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian tennis association (Pelti) has asked its top brass to intervene in a crisis which is threatening the ATP Tour World Doubles championship in Indonesia.
Pelti's promotion and foreign affairs director Eddy Katimansah sent letters to Chairman Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Honorary Chairman Moerdiono yesterday, asking them to urge local television station TPI (Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia) to reconsider its decision to break its contract to provide live coverage of the ATP Tour.
"For the sake of tennis development in this country, we will insist on holding the prestigious tournament here, at least for the second successive period," Eddy told The Jakarta Post and Republika yesterday.
TPI has decided not to televise the season-ending tournament featuring the world's top eight teams, scheduled for Nov. 21 to 26 at the Senayan tennis indoor stadium, for financial reasons.
Eddy said he had earlier explained the problem to Pelti's VIPs, but that, because of activities associated with the national golden anniversary celebrations, they had not had enough time to come up with a solution to the crisis.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, who is chairing the republic's 50th anniversary celebrations, while Sarwono is Minister of Environment.
ATP Tour organizers have said if they have not found another local television station to cover the event by Sept. 5 they will would move the US$1.3 tournament to another country.
TPI and ATP Tour signed a two-year broadcasting deal in February last year. The inaugural edition of the championship in November last year was considered poorly organized, with the organizers reportedly suffering losses of $1 million.
Russell Barlow, ATP Tour's consultant for the championship, said over the weekend that he would bring the case to the organization's executive during the U.S. Open, which starts on Aug. 28.
Eddy criticized ATP Tour for not involving Pelti during the championship last year but guaranteed that the national tennis governing body would help ATP Tour and TPI seek a settlement.
"Both Pak (Mr.) Moerdiono and Pak Sarwono are good mediators," Eddy said. "We should not think of who will benefit from this tournament first. Both ATP and TPI could share the losses if necessary."
U-turn
TPI has defended its decision to drop the contract but has hinted that it could make a U-turn if a third party were to provide a helping hand.
"We swallow a bigger portion of losses. It's unfair," TPI spokesman Khaerul Haluan Nasution said yesterday. "The tournament will be of small benefit to our tennis, considering the fact that we have better chances for growth in the sport in singles, not doubles," he added.
Khaerul said the private TV station had reached the controversial decision after lengthy deliberations. TPI informed ATP Tour of the decision at the end of July, shattering the six- month preparations made by the international tennis organization.
Khaerul said TPI would need another party willing to provide financial assistance it if were to mend the broken deal.
He declined to disclose the size of the losses incurred by TPI during the inaugural championship. TPI Director Fahmi Alatas said last year that the television station had to pay $1.75 million per year for the broadcasting rights. (amd)