Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal has been at the center of a controversy after missing the Davis Cup tie. In the latest addition, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) claimed that he demanded an annual fee of USD 50,000 to participate in Davis Cup ties for India.
The issue came to light after Sumit Nagal did not participate in the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden, citing a back strain. This withdrawal came on the back of his exit from the US Open.
According to AITA, Sumit Nagal requested an annual fee of USD 50,000 (approximately INR 45 lakh) to participate in Davis Cup matches. AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar expressed his disappointment, questioning whether it was appropriate for players to ask for such payments to represent their country.
“You tell me why should a player be asking for money to play for the country. This is a big question. He had demanded an annual fee of USD 50,000 (approx 45 lakh) and said if he is not paid, he will not play,” Dhupar was quoted as saying by PTI.
Dhupar also clarified that Indian players do receive compensation for Davis Cup participation. He also mentioned that they are supported by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
Further, he explained that for World Group I ties, AITA receives around INR 30 lakh from the International Tennis Federation (ITF), of which 70% is distributed among the participating players, while the remaining 30% is kept for administrative expenses.
“Let the country decide if it is right or not. Then, it is the decision of the government and everybody. The players are also paid by TOPS. And it’s not that they don’t get paid for playing the Davis Cup. They do get paid,” he added.
While Nagal did not deny these claims, he defended himself by pointing out that compensating athletes for their services is a common practice in professional sports.
In a statement posted on social media, Nagal said:
"Regarding compensation, I want to clarify that it is standard practice in professional sports for athletes to be compensated for their participation in events, even when representing their country. This is not about personal gain. My discussions with AITA and the Davis Cup Captain are confidential and I would not like to indulge in any speculation about this."
Sumit Nagal's fee demands - negotiations fell through
Sumit Nagal’s proposal was taken up by the Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal, who presented it to the AITA Executive Committee (as reported by Sportstar).
Although the committee was initially hesitant, they eventually agreed to pay Nagal but asked Rajpal to renegotiate the fee. However, before any final agreement could be reached, Nagal pulled out of the Davis Cup tie due to his back injury, thus leaving the discussion unresolved.
The controversy over Nagal’s fee demand gives rise to the question pertaining to compensation in Indian tennis. A former India Davis Cup player, (speaking to PTI) confirmed that in the past, there have been occasions where leading players requested for payment to play Davis Cup ties, and those demands were sometimes met with.