Dubai: One of the top officials from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is hoping the UAE will cash in on the full potential of hosting the world governing body’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Dubai in a year’s time.
“Organising an AGM is a fantastic opportunity for any country to showcase itself before the who’s who connected with the sport from across the world. I can see that next year’s AGM will bring in a lot of benefits for this country,” Vicki Fecci, AGM organiser with the ITF, told Gulf News here on the sidelines of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone encounters that concluded on Sunday at the Dubai Aviation Club.
“I feel the AGM may just be a good opportunity for the new board of directors to be known in the international circle of the sport, and it can also help fast track the launch of any development programmes that they may have in mind,” Fecci added.
With Serbia and Egypt also in the running, the ITF voted in favour of Dubai hosting the 2014 AGM during the meeting of its board of directors meeting held in Prague last November.
Besides being on site during the course of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone encounters last week, Fecci will spend the next three days finalising the official hotel to host next year’s AGM that is scheduled to be held from September 15-18.
The AGM is normally spread over four days, during which time various issues related to the sport are discussed and decisions are taken so that tennis can move forward.
At this year’s AGM that was held in the middle of July in Paris to mark the centenary celebrations of the ITF, one of the most significant decisions was the amendment of the rules of tennis to permit the use of “player analysis technology” during play.
“The agenda for the AGM will be dispatched to all member countries at least four months in advance and the finer details of the agenda will be worked out closer to the date of the meeting,” Fecci said.
