KAMPALA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Uganda Tennis Association (UTA) has suspended top player Duncan Mugabe ahead of the 2018 Davis Cup qualifiers.
Mugabe who is Uganda's highly ranked player for the last eight years, last featured for the country in January 2018 where Uganda lost to Kenya in the Pre-Davis Cup tournament in Nairobi.
"Further to our executive meeting it has been resolved that you will be suspended from national activity or any activities of the association for a period of six months or until otherwise reversed by the Uganda Tennis Association," a letter signed by the chairman, Cedric Babu Ndilima noted.
The chairman clarified that Mugabe has been suspended because of consistent involvement in disrespecting the game of tennis in Uganda and abroad, acts of violence against other members of the tennis community, disrespect to members of the tennis community and total disregard for the responsibility that he carries as the number one player of Uganda.
The letter dated February 7th, 2018 was also copied to the National Council of Sports, President of Uganda Olympic Committee and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Regional Development Officer. "You many appeal this decision in writing with 7 days of receipt of this suspension," stated the letter that Xinhua has a copy.
But Mugabe's father James Kasumba confirmed to Xinhua that his son has already traveled to San Francisco in the US.
After re-admission by the International Tennis federation (ITF) in January this year, Uganda is set to play in the Davis Cup qualifier in June in Nairobi. Uganda's suspension was lifted after it paid the accumulated affiliation fees arrears from 2007.
The development also forced the Confederation of African tennis (CAT) to re-admit Uganda to its activities.
