Tennis Zimbabwe Vice President Tanyaradzwa Chinamo says the International Tennis Federation's decision not to hold the Europe-Africa Group III eliminations in Harare was no reflection on the country's infrastructure, as some observers contend.
Critics say the country's severe economic crisis, which has led to shortages of electric power and water in Harare and elsewhere in the country, was a big factor in the ITF decision to hand the Group III relegation rounds to Bulgaria and Armenia.
The Europe-Africa Group III rounds are to be played April 9-13 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and May 7-11 in Yerevan, Armenia. Zimbabwe will take part in the round in Bulgaria, playing on clay against a group including Botswana, Bulgaria, Cote D'Ivoire, Madagascar, Montenegro, Nigeria and Turkey.
Chinamo told reporter Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that his association will keep submitting applications to host the event, dismissing the notion that electric power and water shortages weighed against Zimbabwe.