The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports withdrew on Wednesday its recognition of the Table Tennis Federation of India, directing the Indian Olympic Association to set up an ad-hoc committee to run the sport's affairs in the interim.
The move comes amid mounting concerns over governance failures within the federation. According to the ministry's order, the TTFI's inability to hold timely elections was among the key triggers for the suspension. The action follows an "unsatisfactory response" from the federation to a show-cause notice issued earlier this year.
"The IOA, in consultation with the international body (ITTF) will take appropriate action to create an internal regulatory mechanism, including the constitution of an ad-hoc committee, till such time that a duly constituted governance structure is restored in TTFI," the ministry stated.
The TTFI is currently headed by Meghna Ahlawat, the body's first woman president, who took over in December 2022. She is married to Haryana MLA Dushyant Chautala, son of Ajay Singh Chautala, a former TTFI president.
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A Federation Under Strain
The federation has been grappling with internal discord for months. In January, it suspended secretary general and former player Kamlesh Mehta over allegations of financial irregularities — a decision he challenged in the Delhi High Court, which subsequently overturned it.
Many attributed the episode to a deeper power tussle within the organisation, a charge TTFI denied, claiming that the move was aimed at preserving "transparency, collective decision-making, and the long-term interests of Indian table tennis".
Controversy resurfaced when star paddler Manika Batra was dropped from the Asian Games squad, with the federation citing insufficient domestic match exposure. Batra pushed back publicly, appealing to the sports ministry and alleging that the selection process lacked clarity and fairness.
Ministry Steps In
Taking note of the recurring issues, the ministry issued a show-cause notice to the TTFI. Officials say the federation's reply failed to adequately address the concerns raised.
The ministry's conclusions included that the TTFI failed to provide adequate athlete care, citing delays in the planning of the national championships the previous year. There has been no announcement of a timeline for the federation's elections, which are scheduled for this year.
The ministry noted that the TTFI had "repeatedly disregarded directions and guidelines" issued to it, falling short of the accountability and democratic norms expected of a national sports federation.
Not The First Time
The Delhi High Court had suspended the federation in February 2022 after Batra filed a petition contesting the selection procedure that resulted in her exclusion from the Asian Championships that year. The court declared that it was "appalled" by the "sorry state of affairs" within the TTFI and appointed an administrator to manage the organisation at the time. In December 2022, the federation was restored following new elections.
(With PTI Inputs)
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