INDIAN tennis greats Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have filed nominations for the AITA SOM elections, seeking representation in the General Body (GB) and Executive Committee (EC), while the country’s most successful player Leander Paes surprisingly did not file his nomination for the November 7 polls. The absence of Paes, the only player featuring in Tier I in the 40-player roster, from the nominations list means that now he can’t run for AITA Presidency. Headed by Paes himself, the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA) had publicly backed his candidature for the post of AITA President. However, Paes needed to win the Sports Person of Outstanding Merit (SOM) election to stand as presidential candidate because he is still ineligible to contest as a state representative.

 

He can still participate in the November 27 AITA polls as Bengal representative but can’t contest as per the amended AITA Constitution. A candidate needs to have completed at least one term as an office bearer in a state association to contest for a post in the national body. “I think every federation needs players who have played at the highest level to help transform the sport, a case and point what Gopi (P Gopichand) has done for badminton has been transformational,” Bhupati told PTI. According to the lists of nominations, apart from Bhupathi and Sania, six other former players have filed their nominations.