HKTA should not block promoters

I am a retired promoter and refer to Alvin Sallay's column ("Beware wolf at HKTA door", May 12) which I found to be confusing. It attacks private promoters and the national tennis association, easy targets when you can tap freely into a computer.

What's wrong with a national body subcontracting a professional sporting event, in this case a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tier III tournament.

Done properly, a tennis federation (such as the Hong Kong Tennis Association) can keep control and reduce its financial risk.

Federations exist to promote their sport and concentrate on the development and guardianship of the game; they're not geared to run professional events.

Events need professionals who know how to do it and risk is not the remit of a national body. If at some point the federation has the skills and the money, then go ahead.

Isn't the federation going against its mandate if it denies the public the chance to see world-class stars, that is, by blocking venues and asking for unreasonable sanction fees?

Consider, too, the cost of running a WTA event - HK$8 million, HK$10 million, HK$12 million.