Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 26: Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has alleged irregularities in the selection process for the 2026 Asian Games squad after being named only as a reserve, claiming the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) failed to adhere to its own constitutional provisions.
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media, the multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallist questioned the federation's assertion that the selection process was conducted strictly in accordance with its rules.
Batra alleged that the committee which finalised the Asian Games squad consisted of nine members, despite the TTFI Constitution stipulating that no sub-committee should have more than seven members.
She said documents in her possession indicated that a nine-member selection committee had decided the team, raising questions over the federation's claim that the process fully complied with its constitution.
Without making any further allegations, Batra said she would leave it to the public to judge whether the rules had been followed fairly.
The 30-year-old admitted that the prolonged dispute had taken an emotional toll on her.
"I am mentally exhausted from this fight and, for now, I am putting my sword down. I have a bigger responsibility today as I am representing India at an international tournament, and my complete focus will now be on the competition ahead," she said.
The controversy follows TTFI's rejection of Batra's objections over her omission from the main squad for the 2026 Asian Games.
The federation maintained that the selection committee followed the prescribed policy, which takes into account national rankings, international rankings, recent performances, team balance, medal prospects, strategic suitability and the selectors' assessment.
Under the selection criteria, 50 per cent weightage is assigned to national rankings, 40 per cent to international rankings and the remaining 10 per cent is based on the selectors' discretion.
Although Batra is currently ranked World No. 51 by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), she did not feature in the national rankings due to her absence from domestic tournaments, which affected her overall score.
TTFI said that had she been ranked inside the world's top 50 when the squad was finalised on June 9, she would have earned an automatic place in the team.
The federation further stated that the final five-member women's squad was chosen after a comprehensive evaluation of all eligible players with the objective of fielding India's strongest medal-winning combination at the 2026 Asian Games. Batra was subsequently included among the reserve players along with Swastika Ghosh.