Liam Broady became a European tennis champion last week and the reaction to his success at the home of British tennis was lukewarm to say the least. This was the only newspaper to deem it worthy of a mention. The 14-year-old from Greater Manchester won the under-14 Masters on clay in Italy - a trophy which once adorned the mantle-piece of Rafael Nadal and Tommy Robredo - and from HQ? Not a word.

Well, that is not strictly true. After five days without a whiff of attention, a note of Broady's success was hastily pinned to the Lawn Tennis Association web-site, which gave due recognition for the kind of win they would normally be drooling over. It is perhaps worth reflecting on why the praise was so grudgingly muted.

The Net Post knows that Simon Broady, Liam's father, and the LTA do not see eye-to-eye. In fact, there is the next best thing to positive loathing there. He has coached his son since he first picked up a racket and, as is their wont, the LTA would like to coach him and, even more, would like to entice him to sign the kind of contract that gives them right to do more or less what they wanted with him with the father ostracised. In return for that, of course, the LTA would fund Liam to whatever amount they thought he merited.

That is what happens when a governing body has so much power, it can do what it wants because it has the cash and decides where it is spent. And that is why most parents - in need and happy to be counted among the chosen few - hand their kids over, they sign up, they Kow-tow, they relent. Simon Broady has not done so and will not do so. He is entirely adamant about that and says he will not change his mind for as long as those currently wielding the power, continue in office.

He is entitled to do what he wants - as are the LTA. How much longer the Broadys can afford to remain indignant only they know. Simon has already sold the family home near Stockport (where Fred Perry was born and raised) to fund the travel of both his son and his daughter, Naomi, whose name might ring a bell for reasons other than her tennis prowess.

There was right old furore just over a year ago when pictures of Naomi Broady and David Rice were posted on the Bebo, the social net-working site. The LTA reacted with furious indignation, the players were suspended for two months and had their funding withdrawn. What was so shocking? one commentator asked. "One player was shown surrounded by empty pizza boxes - that's right, pizza boxes and there was also the suggestion that some of the junior tennis players enjoy a drink or two."

I wrote at the time - "The Australians call it their 'tough love' policy and yesterday David Rice and Naomi Broady were having to come to terms with the startling discovery that the British tennis gravy train does not run indefinitely. The response of the 'Bebo Two', having had their funding cut over teenage pranks that went a little too far, will determine if they have a future in the sport.

"When the pair posted ill-judged messages and images on the social networking website where kids let off steam, have a bit of a laugh and generally act in a manner not meant to be taken too seriously, they obviously did not expect the wrath of the LTA to descend upon them. But the governing body was in a dicey spot — either writing the episode off as nothing more than kids having their kicks, or choosing to come across as ruthless sporting guardians. It plumped for the latter.

"Thus Rice, the 18-year-old whose profile seems to have disappeared from the LTA's website and Broady, also 18 and the pick of the crop of teenage girls, will not be able to travel to or take part in any tournaments, have had their coaching withdrawn and will be unable to tap into the gilt-edged resources of the National Tennis Centre for at least two months."

Simon Broady thought the LTA ought to have done more to protect his daughter more from the publicity onslaught. The LTA chief executive Roger Draper said that the affair should be dealt with behind closed doors but went on the record, saying that "they (Rice and Broady) have let themselves down and have got to behave like professional athletes or go and do something else. It's about taking responsibility, being accountable and sorting their lives out. What disappoints me more than anything else is while these people are saying they want to be professional tennis players and want all the trappings that come with that, they aren't behaving in that way."

If that is the case for players, it is also true of everyone else connected with the game. And those who dispense the punishments need to be seen to be acting to precisely the same code of accountability and responsibility as they demand from the players over whom they hold such fiscal sway. Simon Broady does not see it that way and he is not alone. This story has a long way to run.

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