Pint-sized player disqualified for secret earpiece

The Press

Last updated 23:06 23/07/2008

DAVID HALLETT/The Press

NOT ON: Demetri Korzh used an electronic aid to help his daughter Anastasiya keep score at the Canterbury Junior Winter tennis tournament. The officials kicked her out of the tournament.

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The Ukrainian father of an eight-year-old tennis player disqualified from a Canterbury tournament for receiving instructions through a secret ear-piece has defended his daughter, saying he was only helping her keep score.

Anastasiya Korzh was kicked out of the under-10 girls grade of the Canterbury Junior Winter Tournament at Wilding Park last week after referees were alerted to her wearing a receiver concealed under a thick headband.

Her father, Demetri Korzh, an international wrestling coach, was helping her through a transmitter from the sideline.

Players in the under-10 grade are supposed to keep their own score and referee their own games but Korzh said he turned to technology on the third day of the tournament after noticing a number of suspicious calls and realising his daughter was having trouble keeping score.

"It was obvious girls were taking advantage of Ana because she was playing for the first time," he said.

Tournament referee and Canterbury Tennis manager of tennis operations Rob Wilkinson said it was brought to his attention when it was noticed Ana's game had a "heightened degree of questioned calls".

It was discovered the girl had a receiver similar to a rugby referee's earpiece with a box at the base of the back and a cord under the shirt up to the earpiece and headband.

Korzh said after he was approached by officials he took the receiver off his daughter but, after officials consulted with tennis's ruling body, Ana was disqualified from the tournament.

Ana said she liked wearing the earpiece while playing tennis. Korzh rejected the earpiece was in some way cheating.

If anything, the receiver was a disadvantage because it affected co-ordination to have one ear covered, he said.

"It was her first tournament. I said to her 'Are you sure you will be comfortable?' (with the earpiece). She said yes. Sometimes she says, 'Dad please don't say anything', because she gets confused."

Korzh said he asked officials if he could make a paper scoreboard to keep track of the games but he was dumbfounded when they said no as it would be communicating with the players which was against the rules.

"They said if she's too young to keep score she shouldn't be playing."

Wilkinson said Korzh was "a bit frustrated, but he kept it together".

Korz, an Oceania freestyle-wrestling development coach, said he was "disappointed" Ana was disqualified after she had been warned.

"I was trying to help my child and there was a miscommunication. It was as like she was punished twice."

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44 comments

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Scott #44 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I can understand them disqualifying her but to make the comment "if she's too young to keep score she shouldn't be playing." Aren't we supposed to be encouraging children to play sport!! Also don't they have scores in tournaments posted all around the stadium. What harm is it displaying the score on a board at the side of the court!! I think Canterbury Tennis needs to rethink the decision!

Daryl McKay #43 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Pint Sized Player Disqualified It may only be the under 10's but what kind of example is this the father is setting. It makes me concerned for the people who he coached wrestling to, and what type of behaviour they are learning from him to win at all costs! Demetri Korzh instead of publicising what was at best stupidity, at worst your limited scruples and willingness to cheat to get results, you should just shut up!

Jenny #42 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Digusting? whaaaaat? so there should be different rules for different players? Are you serious? I suspect you are a 'participation certificate' supporter...........

Jenny #41 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Tennis is a game of problem solving. The officials are 100% correct - if she isn't old enough to be able to score her own match she isn't old enough to be in the tournament. Just let the kid play! let her learn how to love a great sport! All he's teaching her is that it's all about winning - in a childs mind that will equate to pressure and stress.

n3m3s1s666 #40 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

thats classic parenting. using his daughter as a scapegoat into cheating. idiot!

Moheka #39 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I can sympathise with this man, but I do not condone his actions. My son plays tennis and represents his region. He was 7 years old when he played his first tournament. This was at an U10 tournament as well, they had to keep their own scores and do their own calls. To my amazement I witnessed 10 year old boys calling winning shots that my son played were 'out' I heard the disgusted calls from the sides and the embarrased parents of my sons opponant. I honestly believe that the young ones need umpires and that some community programme for umpiring tennis should be initiated by Tennis New Zealand. Junior Rugby has Referee programmes, why can't tennis, so that when tournaments are held there is a pool of umpires that can be called to umpire and save the little ones from undue stress.

maori #38 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

That dad is probably one of those ultra-pushy types living vicariously through his offspring - making 5 year olds do 200 push ups a day and crap.

what an egg.

feel sorry for the girl.

tournament could have been a little more understanding BUT it IS a tournament, not just a game. Tournament is a little more important to keep things level for everyone.

Gravey #37 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

If he thinks it is so OK, why was it hidden?

It amazes me how people complain about this sort of thing after they have been "discovered". If it was so acceptable - they should have not tried to hide it.

Steve #36 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Rubbish it was right that she got disqualified. They should have just removed the said "secret" ear piece and let them carry on. Yeah the dad was wrong in his actions but maybe the older kids were calling the ball out when it wasn't etc., and so he got angry seeing his kid get manipulated. Wouldn't you? It amazes me how fast people place judgment when the only facts they have to go on are a short article. As for competition and competitiveness in kids, there is nothing wrong with it. If more kids were passionate about things such as sports there would be less issues with many things including obesity, boredom and its relation to petty offences etc. Parents encouraging kids to compete is good, even if they need to push them a bit, however when it gets to the stage that the parents are living their fantasies out through the children then you need to pull the pin.

Hopefully this kid will stick with tennis and enjoy the game, despite being labelled a cheat.

jaco #35 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I'd heard about this the next day as my child was competing over same tournament, but he had no game on at that time. Absolutely non-justifiable cheating, amazing to think a reader (above) has expressed dismay at the organisers; SHAME ON her father, how unfair to put his daughter through the embarrassment of that, not to mention the pressure she must also be under already in her tennis.

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