'Mentally exhausted' Manika Batra Alleges Irregularities in Asian Games Selection

India's star table tennis player Manika Batra has alleged that the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) violated its own constitution while selecting the squad for the 2026 Asian Games, claiming that the federation constituted an oversized selection committee. She also said she is "mentally exhausted" by the controversy and has decided to step back from the dispute for now.

The controversy erupted after the TTFI announced the men's and women's squads for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with Olympians Sreeja Akula and G Sathiyan leading the teams. Despite being one of India's most accomplished paddlers, Manika was named only among the reserve players alongside Swastika Ghosh.

Questioning her omission from the main squad, Manika described the selection process as "arbitrary and lacking transparency" and had earlier sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, warning that she could pursue legal action if a satisfactory explanation was not provided.

In its reply, the TTFI maintained that the selection process had been conducted "strictly in accordance with the selection policy" and said Manika's candidature had been considered and voted upon by the selection committee.

However, Manika has now claimed that the federation's own documents contradict that assertion. Referring to Article 24(C)(j) of the TTFI Constitution, she said the rules stipulate that no sub-committee can have more than seven members, whereas the documents provided by the federation indicate that a nine-member selection committee decided the Asian Games squad.

"TTFI has stated that the entire selection process was conducted strictly in accordance with the rules. However, the documents available with me show that a nine-member Selection Committee decided the Asian Games team, while Article 24(C)(j) of the TTFI Constitution states that no sub-committee can have more than seven members," Manika said.

She further said that while she believes there is a clear mismatch between the federation's written rules and their implementation, she has decided not to continue the public battle at present.

"I am mentally exhausted from this fight, and for now, I am putting my sword down. I have a bigger responsibility today. I am currently competing in a tournament representing India, and my complete focus will now be on the competition ahead," she said, while wishing the selected Indian contingent success at the Asian Games.

The TTFI is yet to issue a fresh clarification on Manika's allegation that the selection committee exceeded the maximum size permitted under its constitution.