#Tennisfortoilets: Bosnia, Serbia, Guatemala and Chile team up for a cleaner Delhi

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What struck Bosnian Ambassador Sabit Subasic strongly on his visit to Delhi was the poor state of sanitation in the city. Appalled by the rampant open defecation, Subasic decided that it was time to act.Subasic approached this move through sports, something that he loved. By teaming up with diplomats from Serbia, Guatemala, and Chile, Subasic organised tennis matches to collect funds for building toilets in Delhi. Helping Subsaic with the cause were Vladimir Miric, Ambassador of Serbia, Andres Barbe Gonzalez, Ambassador of Chile and Georges de La Roches, Ambassador of Guatemala, who also shared an inclination towards tennis.

What struck Bosnian Ambassador Sabit Subasic strongly on his visit to Delhi was the poor state of sanitation in the city. Appalled by the rampant open defecation, Subasic decided that it was time to act.

Subasic approached this move through sports, something that he loved. By teaming up with diplomats from Serbia, Guatemala, and Chile, Subasic organised tennis matches to collect funds for building toilets in Delhi. Helping Subsaic with the cause were Vladimir Miric, Ambassador of Serbia, Andres Barbe Gonzalez, Ambassador of Chile and Georges de La Roches, Ambassador of Guatemala, who also shared an inclination towards tennis.

What struck Bosnian Ambassador Sabit Subasic strongly on his visit to Delhi was the poor state of sanitation in the city. Appalled by the rampant open defecation, Subasic decided that it was time to act.

Subasic approached this move through sports, something that he loved. By teaming up with diplomats from Serbia, Guatemala, and Chile, Subasic organised tennis matches to collect funds for building toilets in Delhi. Helping Subsaic with the cause were Vladimir Miric, Ambassador of Serbia, Andres Barbe Gonzalez, Ambassador of Chile and Georges de La Roches, Ambassador of Guatemala, who also shared an inclination towards tennis.

The matches were organised on 16 and 17 April but organisers were reportedly able to raise to an amount of Rs 13.3 lakh, much before the event, through sponsorship and donations.

According to news reports, on the day of the event which was held at R. K. Khanna Stadium in Delhi, the total funds raised tallied to over Rs 25 lakh.

The event titled TennisforToilets, saw participation from a number of foreign diplomats in India, envoys, and Indian businessmen.

Around 48 players - 24 doubles teams - played in randomly-allotted matches on 16 April to whittle down to the final four.

There was also a tie-up with All India Tennis Association to facilitate the matches and NGO Sulabh for fundraising.

"He (Subasic) said that he saw during walks in Vasant Vihar that there was a lack of toilets, (and) that we (should) buy port-a-potties, community toilets. I felt that it was better to donate to NGO Sulabh who are wonderful in creating awareness, public relations," George de la Roches told The Wire.

The diplomats are now mulling over to make the event a yearly affair.