Sports Ministry Suspends Table Tennis Federation of India
The Indian Sports Ministry on August 12 suspended the Table Tennis Federation of India and revoked its recognition, asking the Indian Olympic Association to form an ad hoc committee to oversee the functioning of the sport. In its order, the ministry said that the response to the previously issued show-cause notice was not satisfactory as expected, and that the Table Tennis Federation of India was suspended for failing to conduct elections on time. The ministry’s order said that, after consulting the international body ITTF, the IOA would take appropriate steps to establish an internal regulatory mechanism, including the formation of an ad-hoc committee, and this would continue until a proper governance structure is restored in the TTFI.
The Sports Ministry’s order suspending the Table Tennis Federation of India said that the IOA, after consulting the international body, would take necessary steps to create an internal regulatory mechanism, including the formation of an ad-hoc committee. This would be done until a proper functioning structure is restored in the TTFI. The TTFI is currently headed by Meghna Ahlawat, who is its first woman president. Ahlawat took office in December 2022. The Table Tennis Federation of India has been going through a period of turmoil for the past several months. In January 2026, it suspended its secretary general and former player Kamlesh Mehta over allegations of financial irregularities. Mehta took the matter to the Delhi High Court, where his suspension was overturned.
A few months ago, when star player Manika Batra was not selected for the Asian Games 2026 team and the reason given was that she had not played the required matches in domestic tournaments, Manika Batra publicly criticized the decision and demanded intervention from the Sports Ministry. She alleged that the federation’s selection process was seriously flawed. The Sports Ministry took note of all the issues related to the TTFI and issued it a show-cause notice. According to news agency PTI, ministry sources said that the response was not satisfactory. (courtsy India TV)(updated on 12th August 2026)
