Bernard Giudicelli once again spoke this Sunday to defend the reform of the Davis Cup despite the recent separation between the ITF and Kosmos. The former president of the FFT took the opportunity to scratch the French players a little more, including Nicolas Mahut.
Bernard Giudicelli does not intend to change his mind. Then president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT), the vice-president of the International Federation (ITF) validated the Davis Cup reform project with the support of Kosmos, a company headed by Gerard Piqué. A marriage which very quickly became a fiasco before turning into a divorce at the beginning of last January. A separation which caused a lot of turmoil, with in particular Nicolas Mahut who returned to the charge against the former boss of French tennis. Guest this Sunday of the program “Les Grandes Gueules du Sport” on RMC, Bernard Giudicelli again explained that his functions at the FFT could not interfere with those he holds at the ITF. “There is an article in the ITF constitution which says that the election is personal and that a member of the board should not decide according to his federation of origin, he says. The most serious thing is to say that I sold my soul to the devil. This is wrong, because the Davis Cup is still the property of the ITF. »
🎾 Bernard Giudicelli, former president of the French Tennis Federation, reacts live in the GG to the words of @ccessieux06 from his view. #RMClive pic.twitter.com/mJXMu7mKht
– The Big Guess of Sport – RMC (@GGsportRMC) February 12, 2023
Giudicelli: “The system was financially unfair”
While Nicolas Mahut recently argued that Bernard Giudicelli should have “defended France”, the latter assures that he had “no right”. ” I couldn’t because the vast majority of nations could no longer accept a format that enriches players from rich federations to the detriment of the best players, who no longer play it », Says the former president of the FFT. Asked about the elements that justified the reform of the Davis Cup in 2018, Bernard Giudicelli assures that “the system was financially unfair” and notably took Nicolas Mahut to task. ” In 2017, when we win the final, Mahut wins ten times more than Goffin who nevertheless brought two points to Belgium, he asserts. In 2018, we lost against the Croats, who earned much less money than the French. Stating that “the Davis Cup has never been sold”, the ITF vice-president added that ” nations no longer want this unjust system » whereas « the International Federation owns and organizes the Davis Cup ».
Tennis. Nicolas Mahut supported by some French players after attacks by Bernard Giudicelli https://t.co/BgLCEv5u71
— Ouest-France (@OuestFrance) February 8, 2023
Giudicelli: “French players want to make a lot of money”
Returning while the separation between the ITF and Kosmos concerning the organization of the competition, Bernard Giudicelli kicked into touch. ” I do not have to comment on something that falls under the commercial law of a professional event “Says the former boss of French tennis, for whom” it is wrong to say that the Davis Cup has been sold”. To support his point, he directly attacks the French players. “The only place where the format doesn’t work is in France because French players want to win a lot of money and now it’s not possible because we are in a world where wealth must be redistributed, including in tennis, storms the vice-president of the ITF. Look at the players who participated in the competition, you will see that the best have participated in the Davis Cup. That’s the reality. “A media outlet that could make noise while the France team has difficulty validating its ticket for the group stage of the competition, scheduled for next September and for which the ITF will be alone in charge.
