Rules

Appendix III

Challenges and Procedures for a Player's Eligibility

1. Challenges
a. The following parties have the right to question a player's eligibility:

• ITF Member Nations (through their General Secretary);
  

• The wheelchair tennis Players' Representatives Committee (through their Chairperson);
  

• The ITF Wheelchair Tennis Committee.

ITF Note - ITA Member Nations who are not represented by their National Tennis Federation, may submit a challenge through the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Committee who must decide if the challenge should proceed to the Eligibility Sub-Committee.

b. On receipt of a formal written challenge from any of the parties named in 1. a) above, the ITF must inform the player and ask them to submit sufficient objective medical evidence of permanent physical disability in writing to the Eligibility Sub-Committee of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Committee within 28 days. The Eligibility Sub-Committee (which shall be made up of at least one medical doctor from the ITF Medical Commission and at least two ITF appointed experts in the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis) must then review the case.
ITF Note 1 -The player may continue to play during the Eligibility Sub-Committee's investigation. Should the outcome of the Eligibility Sub-Committee be that the player does not meet the minimum criteria as laid out in Rule I of the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis, the player must then cease to play with immediate effect. The only exception to this is in the case of an appeal against the decision by the player as outlined in the Appeals Procedure below.
ITF Note 2 - Failure to submit medical evidence as described above within 28 days of the request being made by the ITF, shall result in automatic suspension of that player until such time as evidence is provided.
ITF Note 3 - The costs incurred by the player in obtaining the medical evidence shall be borne by the player. All costs incurred in the evaluation of medical evidence provided by the player will be the responsibility of the ITF. The player will be instructed by the ITF, regarding how, when and where to provide the necessary medical evidence.

c. If the Eligibility Sub-Committee judges that a player is eligible to compete, their eligibility may not be challenged again for a minimum of 12 months. After this time, all challenges shall be subject to the same procedures as laid out above. If, after a second challenge, the player is still deemed eligible to compete, their eligibility may not be challenged again for a further 3 years.
ITF Note - If a player is challenged after already having been deemed eligible to compete, they may continue to play while any new challenges are being considered.

2. Appeals Procedure
a. If the Eligibility Sub-Committee judges that supporting medical evidence is insufficient, then the player may appeal within 14 days of the decision and request an evaluation by an independent medical doctor appointed by the ITF Member Nation for that player.
Further to receiving the submission from the medical doctor appointed by the ITF Member Nation, the ITF Medical Commission will give a ruling on the eligibility of the player which shall not be subject to further appeal for a minimum of 12 months (see b. below).
ITF Note 1 - USTA Comment: In the case of an appeal being made, the player may continue to play until after the appeal has been heard.
ITF Note 2 - The costs of the evaluation for the appeal will be at the player's expense. All costs incurred in the evaluation of medical evidence provided by the medical doctor will be the responsibility of the ITF.

b. If a person's circumstances change in relation to their physical disability in the future, the person is entitled to submit a request to the ITF to be reconsidered. This request may only be made a minimum of 12 months after the first appeal decision. Such a request shall be supported by the new medical evidence and shall be subject to the same process as outlined in Rule I of the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis and this Appendix III.
If, after the second appeal, the player is still deemed ineligible to compete, their case may not be reconsidered for a further 3 years.
ITF Note 1 - If the Eligibility Sub-Committee has already judged that a player is currently ineligible, they may not compete while any new medical evidence is being considered.