LONDON: Romanian Fed Cup captain Ilie Nastase has been banned from acting in an official capacity at all International Tennis Federation (ITF) team competitions until Dec. 31, 2020, the governing body said on Friday.

The 71-year-old was sanctioned for multiple breaches of conduct rules during a Fed Cup tie between Romania and Britain in April, including making a “highly inappropriate and racially insensitive” comment about Serena Williams’ unborn child.

The governing body’s internal adjudication panel also found him guilty of making “advances of a sexual nature” towards British team captain Anne Keothavong, and “abusive and threatening comments” to members of the British team, match officials and a member of the press.

Nastase, who has been fined $10,000, will also be denied access to, and not granted accreditation for, all official ITF team competitions and tennis circuits until Dec. 31, 2018, the ITF said in a statement.

Grand Slam tournaments, which lie outside the ITF’s jurisdiction, are not included in the sanction.

Both Nastase and the Romanian Tennis Federation have 21 days to appeal the decision. There was no immediate comment from Nastase.

Nastase was provisionally suspended in April after he speculated about the skin colour of the baby that Williams is expecting and for outbursts during a Fed Cup match between Romania and Britain.

He previously acknowledged making mistakes and having shortcomings, but stressed “the cause I fight for is tennis, the sport I really love, which I cannot separate from my life.”

As Fed Cup captain, Nastase hurled abuse at British player Johanna Konta, Keothavong and the umpire. He also asked Keothavong for her hotel room number.

On the Saturday he was escorted from the Constanta venue after swearing at the umpire as well as the British skipper and a visiting player.

Nastase, a former top-ranked player, was barred from the French Open and was not invited to the Royal Box at Wimbledon, where he was a two-time finalist.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2017