Official statement from Chilean Tennis Federation after the incident against Belgium in their Davis Cup tie (translated by Google)
The Chilean Tennis Federation expresses its deep consternation and rejection of the events that occurred during the Davis Cup series played against Belgium this Sunday, February 2, 2025 in Hasselt, valid for the first round of the World Group Qualifiers. In that instance, our player Cristian Garín was attacked by Zizou Bergs and, in an incomprehensible and unacceptable way, ended up being disqualified, which meant the defeat of our country by 3-1.
After being hit by the Belgian player, Cristian did not receive the proper attention from the neutral doctor appointed by the organization. Despite this situation, the general referee, Mr. Carlos Ramos, from Portugal, validated the continuity of the match and urged our player to return to the match. However, as he was unable to do so due to dizziness and inflammation in his eye, he was disqualified.
Due to this injustice, we announce that we will initiate all pertinent actions before the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to seek justice and defend the interests of our athletes and Chilean tennis.
We reaffirm our commitment to the values of sport, such as integrity, respect and fairness. It is essential that these principles prevail in all competitions to ensure a safe and fair environment for all tennis players.
We are grateful for the unconditional support of the Chilean fans present in Hasselt, as well as those who followed the match from our country and other parts of the world, for accompanying us in these difficult times. We also greatly appreciate the numerous displays of solidarity expressed by the international tennis community in the face of this injustice.
Finally, we call on international sports authorities to review this case with the seriousness and objectivity it deserves, ensuring that situations like this do not happen again in the future, for the sake of a competition with as much history and prestige as the Davis Cup.
The Chilean Tennis Federation expresses its deep consternation and rejection of the events that occurred during the Davis Cup series played against Belgium this Sunday, February 2, 2025 in Hasselt, valid for the first round of the World Group Qualifiers. In that instance, our player Cristian Garín was attacked by Zizou Bergs and, in an incomprehensible and unacceptable way, ended up being disqualified, which meant the defeat of our country by 3-1.
After being hit by the Belgian player, Cristian did not receive the proper attention from the neutral doctor appointed by the organization. Despite this situation, the general referee, Mr. Carlos Ramos, from Portugal, validated the continuity of the match and urged our player to return to the match. However, as he was unable to do so due to dizziness and inflammation in his eye, he was disqualified.
Due to this injustice, we announce that we will initiate all pertinent actions before the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to seek justice and defend the interests of our athletes and Chilean tennis.
We reaffirm our commitment to the values of sport, such as integrity, respect and fairness. It is essential that these principles prevail in all competitions to ensure a safe and fair environment for all tennis players.
We are grateful for the unconditional support of the Chilean fans present in Hasselt, as well as those who followed the match from our country and other parts of the world, for accompanying us in these difficult times. We also greatly appreciate the numerous displays of solidarity expressed by the international tennis community in the face of this injustice.
Finally, we call on international sports authorities to review this case with the seriousness and objectivity it deserves, ensuring that situations like this do not happen again in the future, for the sake of a competition with as much history and prestige as the Davis Cup.