A British parliamentary group has criticized the Lawn Tennis Association for a lack of openness. The All Party Tennis Group, which is appointed by Britain’s Sports Ministry, said that the LTA needs to improve its relationships inside the sport and with the general public.
"We feel it is crucial that the LTA should be more transparent and accountable in the setting of their priorities and the use of their funds," wrote committee chair Baroness Billingham of Banbury in a letter obtained by the Daily Telegraph. "Many of the criticisms we have heard could be better addressed if a greater spirit of openness was adopted. ... Esteem for the LTA seems to be at an all-time low. As a consequence, much of the good work of the LTA tends to be overlooked. Given the remarkable level of expenditure, in excess of £60 million annually, it should be possible to deliver better outcomes than at present."
The British Davis Cup team lost its fifth consecutive tie earlier this month against Lithuania.
The All Party Tennis Group also expressed frustration about the expense of playing tennis on the grassroots level, and called on the LTA to make public courts free of charge. The LTA has received more than £25 million in public money from Sport England over a four-year period.
"The notion of using local authority courts free of charge has to be pursued if we are to encourage families on low incomes to play organized tennis," the letter stated.—Matt Cronin