The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), an impartial union co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2019, has filed a lawsuit in opposition to tennis’s governing our bodies, accusing them of anti-competitive practices and neglecting participant welfare.
The authorized motion, filed Tuesday in New York, targets the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), accusing them of sustaining “monopolistic control” over skilled tennis.
After years of makes an attempt to reform the game, PTPA Executive Director Ahmad Nassar mentioned the union had no alternative however to hunt authorized motion.
“Tennis is broken,” Nassar declared. “Behind the glamorous veneer, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardizes their health and safety.” He continued, “We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue. The governing bodies left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts.”
The PTPA, which represents gamers like Djokovic, claims that the game’s governing our bodies preserve a “draconian” rating system that forces gamers to compete in particular tournaments, usually underneath unsafe circumstances.
The lawsuit argues that gamers are subjected to an unsustainable schedule, compelled to play in excessive warmth and at early hours, with tournaments selecting tennis balls linked to power accidents.
The PTPA additionally accused the governing our bodies of violating gamers’ privateness rights with random drug testing.
In addition to the authorized filings within the U.S., the PTPA has initiated related actions within the U.Okay. and the EU.
The affiliation argues that the governing our bodies act as a “cartel” paying gamers “artificially low compensation.” The lawsuit’s core grievance is the inequitable distribution of tennis income, notably to lower-ranked gamers. “Players around 200th in the world are struggling,” Djokovic mentioned in a 2023 CBS 60 Minutes interview. “They can’t afford coaches, they skip tournaments, and many leave the sport despite being capable of achieving greatness.”
In response to the lawsuit, the ATP rejected the PTPA’s claims, calling them “baseless” and accusing the union of sowing “division and distraction.” The ATP insisted, “We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims and will vigorously defend our position,” stressing its dedication to rising the game, making certain monetary stability, and appearing in the most effective pursuits of gamers and followers.
The WTA additionally defended its observe document of rising ladies’s tennis, calling the lawsuit “baseless” and reiterating that gamers are well-compensated and concerned in decision-making by way of their elected Board representatives.
Similarly, the ITF, which oversees world tennis improvement, defended its mission, stating that 90% of its income is reinvested into creating the sport by way of its 213 member National Associations.
The PTPA’s authorized transfer follows intensive participant consultations, with the union assembly with over 250 gamers throughout the excursions, together with a lot of the high 20 males’s and ladies’s gamers. “The overwhelmingly positive feedback confirmed that change is needed now, and players are united in their fight for reform,” the assertion mentioned.
The ITIA, which oversees anti-doping and anti-corruption packages, defended its position in making certain the integrity of the game. “Any credible international sport requires robust anti-doping and anti-corruption programs, and we are proud of our role in contributing to a clean and fair sport.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com