Manika Batra, the world No. 51, was left out of the five-member squad for the upcoming Asian Games due to not meeting the eligibility criteria. She has hinted at legal action towards the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) if she’s not given a “clear and factual explanation” regarding her omission.
On Wednesday, in a statement released by her, Manika stated, “If I do not receive satisfactory answers regarding the basis of this decision, I will be left with no option but to explore all remedies available to me, including legal recourse through my legal team. That is why I have requested the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Sports Minister to look into this matter. Not because I want a place in the team. Not because I want special treatment.
“But because I believe every athlete deserves transparency, consistency, and accountability in the selection process. I have represented India with pride for almost twenty years, and all I am asking for today is a fair and honest explanation. And just to be absolutely clear once again — I am asking questions, not special consideration.”
Manika has mentioned that her fight is against the process rather than what outcome it may or may not yield. Earlier, she had written to the TTFI, the Sports Ministry, the Indian Olympic Association, and the Sports Authority of India seeking an explanation for her omission.
Further, she questioned the voting process. It is understood that the selection committee met twice, virtually, to finalise the Asian Games Squad. The final place was contested between Sutirtha Mukherjee, Swastika Ghosh and Manika. When no consensus emerged, there was a 5-3 vote against Manika, with one member abstaining.
“If that is true, then I believe athletes have a right to know who made those decisions and on what basis. What were the reasons? Were they documented? Were they communicated? Were conflict of interests disclosed? Can any system that relies on voting be completely free from bias, personal opinions, or past differences? If so, what safeguards exist to ensure fairness and accountability?”
The selection committee includes the Dronacharya Award recipient Sandeep Gupta, who happens to be Batra’s childhood coach. She had a highly publicised fallout with him in 2019. Batra also spoke out in Ayhika Mukherjee’s support who was also left out of the squad despite being part of India’s historic women’s doubles bronze medal-winning partnership with Sutirtha Mukherjee at the 2022 Asian Games.
“I am also surprised to see players with proven records for India being left out. Athletes who have delivered medals and results for the country deserve to know how such decisions were reached. Take the example of Ayhika Mukherjee, who was part of India’s historic women’s doubles medal at the last Asian Games. When athletes with such achievements are left out, it naturally raises questions about the criteria and evaluation process that led to these decisions.”
Criticisms regarding her absence from domestic tournaments were also answered. “I have immense respect for national events and have always been proud to compete in them. But athletes competing regularly on the international circuit often have to manage an intense global calendar, recovery periods, travel, visa processing and preparation for major events,” she said. “Domestic participation cannot be viewed in isolation from international commitments.”
There’s been a debate over TTFI’s selection policy, which gives 50 per cent weightage to national rankings, 40 percent weightage to international rankings, and 10 per cent to selectors’ ratings. Manika’s argument highlights these controversial points, as she insists that transparency and accountability should be at the core of the decisions.
