ITF

formal ball approval with market testing of brands collected from tournaments and shop-bought; of which over 1,400 have been tested to date. To keep pace with the volume of ball testing, a new testing machine was commissioned by the Technical Centre, which is capable of measuring ball deformation, size and mass. The Technical Centre retained its ISO 9001:2008 quality assurance standard in 2012 following a British Standards Institute audit in March. The Technical Centre promotes an open and productive relationship with the tennis industry through the ITF Foundation. There were 34 Foundation members in 2012. Two meetings were held with the racket and ball manufacturers and the court surface industry. The Technical Commission has again been active throughout the year, guiding the activities of the Technical department. The principal topic of discussion in 2012 was the use and regulation of player analysis technology. The Wheelchair Medical Commission was subsumed by the Sport Science & Medicine Commission (SSMC) in 2012. Under this broader remit, the SSMC began its review of the extreme weather conditions rule, as it pertains to wheelchair tennis. The SSMC focused on several new areas in 2012, including producing materials to promote the health benefits of tennis, and evaluating the physical incapacity rule, which considers the conditions under which a player can (a) be deemed to be physically incapable to play, and (b) return from such physical incapacity. The SSMC has now published its recommendations for health care at ITF Pro Circuit, Junior Circuit and Wheelchair events, which aim to stimulate improvements in such care. The SSMC also contributed to the ongoing review of the World Anti-Doping Code, which guides the processes under which the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme operates. SCIENCE & TECHNICAL 27

• Cover