An independent tribunal on Wednesday reduced Ilie Nastase’s suspension for racist and aggressive behaviour before and during a 2017 Fed Cup tie between Romania and Great Britain, but increased his fine
The 71-year old former world No. 1 appealed after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspended him from all official involvement in either the Fed Cup or Davis Cup until the end of 2020 and from attending any matches in either event until the end of this year.
The tribunal cut both punishments by eight months: to April 23 2020 and April 23 this year. The tribunal increased Nastase’s fine from $10,000 (8,100 euros) to $20,000.
On April 22 last year, Nastase, the captain of the Romanian team, insulted a journalist, British player Johanna Konta and the umpire and the match referee. He also harassed British captain Anne Keothavong before the tie and insulted her during it.
In the press conference the day before the tie in Constanta, Romania, he also made racist remarks about Serena Williams’s unborn baby asking: “Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?”
Nastase later apologised but said the media had “exaggerated.”
The organisers of Wimbledon, where Nastase appeared twice in the men’s singles final, and Roland Garros, where he is a former champion, have made clear he would be unwelcome in the future.
