The High Court order came on a plea by star table tennis player Manika Batra, who was left out of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Table Tennis Championships in Doha due to the mandate.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday stayed the Table Tennis Federation of India’s (TTFI) order for mandatory attendance at national coaching camps to be selected for international competitions.
The High Court order came on a plea by star table tennis player Manika Batra, who was left out of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Table Tennis Championships in Doha due to the mandate.
Justice Rekha Palli also asked the Center to investigate Ms Batra’s complaint against the TTFI. Ms Batra, who is the highest-ranked Indian woman player at the international level, had alleged that on one occasion, national coach Soumyadeep Roy “throwing matches” on one of her personal trainees to enable her to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. “Pressed.
The 26-year-old said that he not only refused to comply with such an “immoral, illegal and immoral request”, but also immediately reported it to the consultant, TTFI.
The High Court said the rule mandating compulsory attendance at the national camp “has been invoked at a point when a complaint was pending against the national coach” and the same “does not inspire confidence”.
The High Court directed the Center to submit the inquiry report within four weeks, saying it was not appointing any committee to look into the issues at this stage. The matter will be heard again on October 28.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Centre, said the federation’s rule of compulsorily attending the national camp defeated merit. Mr Sharma said the center would launch an inquiry into the athlete’s allegations.
TTFI’s counsel defended the rule on the grounds that such a mandate existed in other sports, including weightlifting and judo.
Ms Bhatra, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and Khel Ratna awardee, argued in her petition that her chance for the 25th ITTF Asian Table Tennis Championships, 2021, should be lost despite the rule of compulsorily participating in the national camp. had gone. Meeting all merit-based criteria.
Ms Batra described table tennis as an individual sport that requires specialized training with support staff. “Only individual coaches will know the strengths, weaknesses, skills and areas on which a player should focus and strengthen. However, these rules do not allow any private coach/support staff,” she argued.
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