PARIS: International tennis chief Francesco Ricci Bitti has flatly denied saying he saw no problems with Crimean players turning out for Russia.

The ITF president caused a stir in the tennis community when reportedly telling ITAR-TASS news agency on Wednes­day that “Crimea is a part of Russia”.

“Crimean tennis players can without any problems play for Russia’s national teams.”

But in a statement on Thursday he sought to distance himself saying, “I refute the quotes attributed to me by ITAR-TASS news agency.”

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2015

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