New Delhi: Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has publicly questioned the selection process for the 2026 Asian Games squad, alleging that the Table Tennis Federation of India failed to follow its own constitutional guidelines while finalising the team.
The 31 year old paddler, who was named among the reserves for the upcoming Games in Aichi and Nagoya, expressed disappointment over her omission from the main squad and raised concerns over the composition of the selection committee responsible for the final decision.
According to Batra, documents available to her indicate that a nine member selection panel was involved in choosing the team. She argued that this was inconsistent with the federation’s constitution, which limits the size of any sub committee to a maximum of seven members.
The three time Olympian questioned how a decision taken by a larger committee could still be considered fully compliant with the rules and said the issue should be judged by those who have consistently advocated for transparency and equal application of regulations in Indian sport.
Despite voicing her concerns, Batra admitted that the prolonged dispute has taken a personal toll. Describing herself as mentally exhausted, she said she was stepping away from the battle for now in order to focus on her immediate responsibility of representing India at an ongoing tournament in the United States.
The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist also extended her support to the players selected for the Asian Games squad, wishing them success and urging them to make the country proud.
The federation, meanwhile, has maintained that the selections were conducted strictly according to its policy, which allotted weightage to national rankings, world rankings and the discretion of the selection committee.
India’s women’s team for the Asian Games will be led by top ranked paddler Sreeja Akula, while Manika Batra and Swastika Ghosh have been named as reserve players.
