Ricci Bitti Weighs Another Term as Tennis Federation Chief

(ATR) International Tennis Federation president Francesco Ricci Bitti has scotched rumors that he will not be standing again for the position.

The Italian was re-elected as ITF for a fourth term at the federation’s annual meeting in Bangkok in 2011.

Around the Rings understands that the former Italian IOC member is unlikely to stand again for the top job in world tennis. But his executive office neither confirmed or denied this.

"The president has not yet declared his intentions regarding the ITF presidential election which will take place on 25 September 2015 at the same time as the ITF Board election," a spokeswoman told ATR.

The deadline for nominations for the presidency is May 25.

If Ricci Bitti decides against running for a fifth term at the helm of the tennis federation, he would still be allowed to continue as president of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations until the end of his term, which expires at the end of 2016.

Less than two years into his first term as ASOIF chief, Ricci Bitti is permitted to stand again for the position if he maintains an executive position in the ITF.

ATR is told that many leaders of the 28 summer Olympic federations believe he is the right man to continue as ASOIF president given the strong voice he has given them since taking over from Denis Oswald.

The nominations deadline for the ASOIF presidency is in April next year.

Reported by Mark Bisson

Home page photo: Getty Images

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.