No-confidence motion against AITA president

The All-India Tennis Association (AITA) election has turned ugly as member associations have questioned the outgoing president Anil Jain spending from the federation’s coffers for his and his wife’s travels.

The amount, said to be around Rs 58 lakh, was disclosed after the accounts were audited. Jain, who was a BJP Rajya Sabha MP till his term got over in April this year, is facing the heat for taking his wife on foreign travels. As a norm, office-bearers including the president and secretary general can use federation’s money to travel on official engagements like attending International Tennis Federation (ITF) meets. However, the report has irked many in the Indian tennis fraternity that funds were wasted on the president’s spouse as well.

The issue and few others, including Jain’s dictatorial attitude, have created a situatino where the majority of the member affiliates are to bring a no-confidence motion against Jain on Saturday when the new executive body is to be elected. “It is the norm for the president and secretary general to travel on AITA expenses for official meetings but he took his wife on several occasions. This cannot be allowed as it is unethical,” said a source.

Jain has rubbished the claims, saying he was entitled to take his wife along as per AITA’s finance committee reports. “It is an attempt to defame me as my wife is entitled to travel with me as per federation’s finance committee minutes of the meetings,” Jain told The Tribune on Friday.

“My children have also travelled with me, but I bought their economy tickets and all this talk is just a way to get back at me as I have agreed with the Returning Officer’s suggestion to follow the sports code and Delhi HC order dated 16.08.2022. And I had answered all these questions in our last executive meeting that was held on August 23, 2024,” he added.

Interestingly, Jain is not up for election this time around.

Chintan Parikh is the sole candidate for the post of president this time.

Allegedly spent association funds on wife’s travels

All-India Tennis Association outgoing president Anil Jain allegedly spent ~58 lakh from the federation’s coffers for his and his wife’s travels. The amount was disclosed after the accounts were audited. However, Jain has rubbished the claims, saying he was entitled to take his wife along as per AITA’s finance committee reports.