London - The 28-time Davis Cup champion Australia were fined 10,000 dollars Friday but will not be banned for failing to play a Davis Cup tie this month in Chennai, India. The visitors had refused to compete in what Tennis Australia considered an unsafe environment after the November, 2008, terror attacks in the city and had proposed a neutral venue.
"The ITF's Davis Cup Committee decided that Australia would not be suspended from the 2010 competition or relegated from Asia/Oceania Zone Group I," the International Tennis Federation said in a statement.
"Australia will lose choice of ground for their next home tie regardless of the opponent and will pay a fine of 10,000 dollars. Australia will also be liable for costs to both the ITF and to the All India Tennis Association to be determined at a later date."
The International Tennis Federation awarded the win to India for the May 8-10 Asian zonal tie.
The last time a nation refused to play a tie over political concerns was in 2004 when Denmark did not travel to Algiers over security concerns. The country was not suspended and competed in 2005.
Australia had been expecting to pay a fine of around 25,000 dollars.
