Coronavirus: ITF chief takes 30 % pay cut to help 'job retention scheme'

Image Credits: Twitter/@ITF_Tennis

Amid the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, the International Tennis Federation has announced a slew of measures to help its staff with ITF president David Haggerty taking a voluntary pay cut.

In a statement, ITF said: "The job protection scheme includes a furlough for approximately half of ITF staff. The remaining staff will continue to work to sustain business critical services and essential platforms with a 10 per cent reduction in salary. The senior leadership team has taken a 20 per cent reduction in salary, while the ITF President has voluntarily taken a 30 per cent decrease for the year.

More than 900 tournaments across all ITF circuits, including the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals 2020, have been postponed till now in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and it remains uncertain when play can resume.

The ATP and WTA Tours have been suspended since early last month and are not scheduled to return until July 13. The Wimbledon Championships, for the first time since World War II, has been cancelled while the French Open has been postponed to September.

"The situation we are facing represents a fundamental challenge to our organisation and our sport," Haggerty said.

"Our purpose is to ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of our sport in collaboration with our 210 member nations, which is why we are making difficult decisions in the short term so that we can continue to deliver tennis for future generations across the globe."

The federation also said that it looking into the "various options to support nations and players during these times".

The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt because of COVID-19 which has claimed more than 90,000 lives across the world thus far.