Navratilova slams ITC for 'deafening silence' over Tarpischev's 'Williams brothers' jibe

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has slammed the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for its silence over comments from one of its members about the Williams sisters.

Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev had described world number one Serena Williams and older sister Venus as brothers and he has been banned for a year and fined 15,000 pounds by the Women's Tennis Association, but Navratilova wants ITF action.

Navratilova said that the silence from the ITF has been pretty deafening, adding that they are the ones who actually have the possibility of doing something as Tarpischev is head of the Russian Tennis Federation, which falls under the ITF and is also Fed Cup captain which falls under the ITF.

Navratilova said that this kind of bullying comment cannot be tolerated from anyone, but particularly from a high-up official in the tennis world.

Tarpischev, also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, offered an apology on Saturday at the behest of the WTA, whose chief executive Stacy Allaster said that the comments were insulting, demeaning and have absolutely no place in their sport.

Serena Williams, winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, has also won 13 Grand Slam doubles events with her sister and described the comments by Tarpischev as very insensitive and extremely sexist as well as racist.