An Independent Tribunal appointed under Article 15 of the 2017 ITF Fed Cup Regulations has issued its decision in relation to the appeal by Ilie Nastase against the decision of the ITF Internal Adjudication Panel dated 20 July 2017.

Mr Nastase has been found by the Tribunal in breach of the following provisions of the ITF’s Welfare Policy under the 2017 ITF Fed Cup Regulations, in respect of his conduct during the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas tie between Romania and Great Britain in Constanta in April 2017. Specifically:

breaching the Introduction to the Welfare Policy and Article a. v.b, in relation to his racially insensitive comment about Serena Williams’s (then unborn) child;

breaching Article a. iv.c in making unwelcome advances of a sexual nature towards Anne Keothavong, the Captain of the Great Britain team;

breaching Article a. iii.b of the Welfare Policy in making abusive and threatening comments to a member of the accredited press;

breaching Articles a. ii.a, a. iii.a, a. iii.b and a. v.b in relation to his conduct on-court during the second rubber between Sorana Cirstea and Johanna Konta, specifically:

making abusive and threatening comments to the match officials and to members of the Great Britain team;

engaging in unfair conduct by intentionally interfering with the competition of Ms Konta, and abusing his position of authority, compromising the wellbeing of Ms Konta;

engaging in conduct that reflected unfavourably on the ITF, the Fed Cup, the players, the officials and the game of tennis.

The Tribunal has imposed the following sanctions on Mr Nastase:

A suspension from acting in an official capacity (including, but not limited to, team Captain) in all official ITF team and individual competitions and circuits (specified in Bye-Law 2.1(a),  2.2(2), and 2.2(3) of the ITF Constitution) for three years from 23 April 2017 to 23 April 2020.

A denial of access to, and accreditation for, the competitions and circuits described above for one year from 23 April 2017 until 23 April 2018. (Note: ATP, WTA and Grand Slam tournaments are not included within the sanction, as they lie outside the jurisdiction of the ITF.)

A fine in the amount of US$20,000 .

In relation to the original sanctions imposed by the ITF Internal Adjudication Panel, the Tribunal has increased the amount of the fine by $10,000 , and has reduced both the length of suspension and denial of access to competitions and circuits by approximately eight months. Mr Nastase was originally suspended from acting in an official capacity until 31 December 2020, and denied access to competitions and circuits until 31 December 2018.