Indian Government ‘Suspends Recognition’ Of Table Tennis Federation Of India

Indian sports ministry suspended TTFI’s recognition due to governance deficiencies, ordering IOA to form an ad-hoc committee.

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Table Tennis Representational Image (Credit: iStock)

The Indian sports ministry has suspended the recognition of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), citing ‘governance deficiencies’. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has been ordered to form an ad hoc committee to administer the sport.

The ministry cited TTFI’s failure to conduct elections on time as one of the reasons for the suspension. It also described TTFI’s response to a show-cause notice as ‘unsatisfactory’. The TTFI is currently led by Meghna Ahlawat, its first-ever woman President, who is also the wife of Haryana MLA Dushyant Chautala.

“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 order stated.

The TTFI has had a history of governance concerns and a widely-reported ‘power-struggle’. In 2021, India’s top player, Manika Batra, accused national coach Soumyadeep Roy of pressuring her to throw a match to favor his private trainee. Highlighting this severe conflict of interest, the Delhi High Court suspended the TTFI’s executive committee in 2022, calling its administration a ‘sorry state of affairs.’

Instability struck again in early 2026 when the TTFI suspended its Secretary General, Kamlesh Mehta, over alleged financial mismanagement and unauthorized decisions. Although the Delhi High Court overturned his suspension, it acknowledged the deep-rooted factionalism and ordered an independent probe.

Most recently, in June 2026, the TTFI surprisingly named Batra only as a reserve for the Asian Games, citing her absence from domestic tournaments. Batra threatened legal action, accusing the TTFI of breaking its own rules by using a nine-member selection committee instead of the mandated legal maximum of seven. However, she ultimately dropped the dispute, citing the need to protect her mental peace.

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Original source: https://www.news18.com/