Monday 24 July 2017 17:20, UK
Ilie Nastase has been banned from acting in any official capacity at International Tennis Federation events until the end of 2020.
Nastase will also be denied access, and therefore not granted accreditation for, any ITF event until the end of 2018, and he has been fined £7,700 - the ban does not apply to ATP Tour, WTA Tour and Grand Slam events, which are outside the direct jurisdiction of the ITF.
A statement from the ITF read: "Mr Nastase was found guilty of breaching Articles a.ii.a, a.iii.a, a.iii.b, a.iv.c and a.v.b of the Fed Cup Welfare Policy under the 2017 ITF Fed Cup Regulations during the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas tie between Romania and Great Britain in Constanta in April. Specifically:
"- Mr Nastase made a comment about Serena Williams's unborn child that was highly inappropriate and racially insensitive in breach of the Introduction to the Welfare Policy, and Article a.v.b;
"- Mr Nastase made advances of a sexual nature towards Anne Keothavong, the Captain of the Great Britain team, in breach of Article a.iv.c;
"- Mr Nastase made abusive and threatening comments to a member of the accredited press, in breach of Article a.iii.b;
"- Mr Nastase made abusive and threatening comments to the match officials and to members of the Great Britain team, refused to leave the court, and deliberately interfered with the opposing team in breach of Articles a.ii.a, a.iii.a, a.iii.b and a.v.b."
Nastase and the Romanian Tennis Federation have 21 days to appeal against the suspension - any appeal would be heard by an independent tribunal.
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