Governing Bodies
MIXED RESPONSE AS DJOKOVIC LEAVES ATP PLAYERS COUNCIL AND FORMS BREAKAWAY UNION
Men’s world number one Novak Djokovic has resigned as President of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Players Council to form a new players’ association, leading to criticism from some high-profile players and tennis bodies.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the other two members of men’s tennis’ so-called “Big Three”, have opposed the move and remain members of the ATP Players Council.
Djokovic’s new Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) members met yesterday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, where the first players signed up for the organisation ahead of the start of the US Open tomorrow.
The Serbian has created the new players’ body alongside Canada’s 92nd-ranked Vasek Pospisil, who announced his resignation from the ATP Players Council on Twitter.
Between 60 and 70 players posed for a photo of the newly-formed body posted on social media by Pospisil.
Little is clear at present about how the body will be run, but it will focus on the top 500 men’s singles players and top 200 doubles players.
https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1299855508363505664&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidethegames.biz%2Farticles%2F1097840%2Fnovak-djokovic-atp-tennis-federer-nadal&siteScreenName=insidethegames&theme=light&widgetsVersion=223fc1c4%3A1596143124634&width=550px A joint statement was released by the ATP, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the International Tennis Federation and Grand Slam organisers in response to the new organisation.
“Now more than ever we need collaboration and strong relationships, and we fully support the ATP in its role in representing the best interests of players throughout this process,” read the statement.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that our sport emerges from this crisis with strong foundations on which we can build.
“It is a time for even greater collaboration, not division; a time to consider and act in the best interests of the sport, now and for the future.
“When we work together, we are a stronger sport.”
The ATP has governed men’s tennis for 30 years, representing its players and tournaments since 1990 in its current form – having previously been formed in 1972 to protect the interests of professional tennis players.
It is separate from the WTA.
Djokovic won the Cincinnati Masters yesterday, after which he defended his new organisation.
“I have read in the letter from the ATP that they think the ATP cannot co-exist with this association – I have to respectfully disagree,” Djokovic said.
“Legally, we are 100 per cent safe, and we are allowed to form the player association.
“We are not calling for boycotts, we are not forming parallel tours.
“This is an important step for players, and for the sport as well.
“We just want to have our own organisation, that is 100 per cent ours.
“We are definitely going to try and work with ATP, and all the governing bodies.”
Nadal and Federer were among six ATP Player Council members who wrote a letter to players urging them not to join the new body.
The letter on the PTPA addressed concerns over relations with the ATP, the potential for tournaments to not go ahead and who would take responsibility for a potential loss of
Both Nadal and Federer have also expressed concern on Twitter, calling for unity.
“These are uncertain and challenging times, but I believe it’s critical for us to stand united as players, and as a sport, to pave the best way forward”, was Federer’s message.
Britain’s three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray has been more guarded, saying he is not against a player union but believes it should involve female players too.
“I’m not totally against a player union, but I feel like the current management that are in place should be given some time to implement their vision and I feel like that would send a much more powerful message if the WTA were on board with it as well,” the two-time Olympic champion said.
Murray added that he will not be signing up to the new organisation for now.
Cincinnati runner-up Milos Raonic will though – he complained that players were “kept in the dark by our leadership for six months”.
https://platform.twitter.com/embed/index.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1299756132655824899&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidethegames.biz%2Farticles%2F1097840%2Fnovak-djokovic-atp-tennis-federer-nadal&siteScreenName=insidethegames&theme=light&widgetsVersion=223fc1c4%3A1596143124634&width=550px According to Pospisil, the PTPA is designed to “unify the players, have our voices heard and have an impact on decisions being made that effect our lives and livelihoods”.
It “did not emerge to be combative, to disrupt, or to cause any issues within or outside the tennis tour”, he added.
In a PTPA document, Djokovic and Pospisil listed revenue sharing, disciplinary actions, player pensions, travel, insurance and amenities at tournaments as issues the new association would attempt to address, according to The New York Times.
Djokovic and Pospisil will serve a two-year term as co-Presidents, with there being plans for an elected Board of up to nine people in future.
However, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi – who took up the position in January – said the move “makes no sense”.
“You have what other athletes in other sports would strive for – a seat at the boardroom table – that is what players fought for in the creation of the ATP Tour,” he added.
There are three athlete representatives and three ATP tournament representatives on the ATP Board, although chairman Gaudenzi has the right to a casting vote.
A group including American player Sloane Stephens is reportedly interested in a collaboration with the PTPA that would involve female players.
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Governing Bodies
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Congo officials over financial misconduct
FIFA’s ethics committee launched disciplinary proceedings against three senior Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) officials on Wednesday, including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, over allegations of financial misconduct.
Mayolas, his wife and his son were sentenced to life in prison earlier this month after a criminal court in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, convicted them of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Media reports said their whereabouts were not known , and they were tried in absentia.
FECOFOOT general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda are also subject to the disciplinary proceedings, FIFA said. Badji and Kanda were sentenced to five years each in prison by the court in Brazzaville for related charges.
“These proceedings follow the receipt of information and documents during an audit,” FIFA said in a statement.
-Reuters
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The World Anti-Doping Agency is considering rewriting its rules to try barring President Donald Trump and all U.S. government officials from attending the LA Olympics in 2028, in a move that could also have implications for the World Cup being hosted by the U.S. this summer.
The proposal, on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting of the global drug-fighting watchdog’s executive committee, is the latest manoeuvre to come out of a yearslong refusal of the U.S. government to pay its annual dues to WADA.
The refusal is part of the American government’s unanimous, bipartisan protest of the agency’s handling of a case involving Chinese swimmers and other issues.
The Associated Press learned of the agenda item through correspondence it obtained between WADA and European officials involved in the agency’s decision-making. Two others with knowledge of the agenda confirmed the existence of the rules proposal to AP; they were not authorised to speak publicly about the agenda, which has not been released publicly.
The proposal was, in fact, first brought up in 2024, when U.S. authorities successfully lobbied for its rejection. The U.S. has since lost its seat on the executive committee.
“In spite of WADA’s increasing threats, we continue to stand firm in our demand for accountability and transparency from WADA to ensure fair competition in sport,” said Sara Carter, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
The rule, if passed, would figure to be mostly symbolic, given the limits an international sports federation could have on the president of a country attending an event inside his own borders.
“I have never heard of a $50-million-budget Swiss foundation being able to enforce a rule to, for example, prevent the United States president from going anywhere,” said Carter’s predecessor at ONDCP, Rahul Gupta, who was on the WADA executive committee two years ago and led the movement to reject the proposal. “And the next question you have to ask is: How are you going to enforce it? Are they going to post a red notice from Interpol? It’s ludicrous. It’s clear they have not thought this through.”
In a news release after this story published, WADA said the AP story was “entirely misleading,” focusing on Fitzgerald’s statement to the AP that if proposals being discussed were “introduced, given that the rules would not apply retroactively, the FIFA World Cup, LA and Salt Lake City Games (in 2034) would not be covered.”
Fitzgerald’s only answer to three emails from AP seeking clarification on his initial response — specifically about how a rule that had not yet been adopted could or couldn’t be applied retroactively on events that are scheduled for the future — was: “I’m trying to say that it would not apply retroactively so those events would not be covered. Given that and the next meeting of the Board being scheduled for November, I don’t see how it could come into play for this year’s World Cup.”
-AP
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The Confederation of African Football has dismissed Yasin Osman Robleh, the Djiboutian official who headed its judicial bodies for the past six years, in a move aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation’s disciplinary processes.
According to reports from convergence sources, the decision was confirmed on Saturday by CAF Secretary General Veron Mosengo-Omba, bringing an abrupt end to Robleh’s tenure overseeing the confederation’s disciplinary and investigative committees since 2019.
Robleh’s position reportedly came under increasing pressure following the controversy surrounding sanctions imposed after the Africa Cup of Nations Final between Morocco and Senegal. The disciplinary decisions that followed the match sparked criticism from several quarters and placed CAF’s legal framework under intense scrutiny.
In response to the situation, CAF’s Executive Committee has appointed Togolese lawyer Cedric Egai, currently the confederation’s Director of Legal Affairs, as interim head of the judicial bodies.
Egai is expected to stabilise the organisation’s legal arm while CAF works toward appointing a permanent successor to Robleh.
Disciplinary Decisions Delayed
The leadership change has already affected ongoing disciplinary processes within the confederation. CAF’s disciplinary committee reportedly held hearings last Thursday on several cases, including the high-profile encounter involving Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s AS FAR.
However, decisions on those matters have been temporarily put on hold pending the confirmation of new leadership within the judicial structure.
Sources indicate that once a permanent successor is appointed, CAF will move swiftly to conclude outstanding disciplinary rulings affecting both clubs and national teams.
Restoring Confidence
The move is widely seen as part of CAF’s effort to restore confidence in its judicial system following weeks of controversy surrounding disciplinary decisions at major competitions.
Robleh’s departure closes a significant chapter in CAF’s legal administration, while Egai’s interim appointment signals a potential shift in leadership and governance at a critical time for African football.
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