The Battle For Olympic Selection And Coaches Conflict Of Interest -  Manika Batra Vs TTFI

Manika Batra (“Manika”) is a top 50 ranked international table tennis player from India. She has been the torchbearer of the resurrection of interest in table tennis in India. As a Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee in 2020, the 28-year-old has won several gold medals in the Commonwealth Games 2018 and is an idol for young athletes of India.

However, due to being pressured by the then national team coach, Mr. Soumyadeep Roy (“Mr. Roy”), to manipulate a match in an Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament[1], she refused his courtside assistance at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. This refusal led to a decision by the Table Tennis Federation of India (“TTFI”), prohibiting her to participate  at the Asian Table Tennis Championship, 2021. To challenge this decision, she approached the Honourable High Court of Delhi (“Court”) for relief requesting for her inclusion into the team on her merit.

The Court appointed an independent inquiry committee to look into the match manipulation allegations made by Manika[2]. The inquiry committee found that Mr. Roy did demand Manika manipulate a match in favour of Mr. Roy’s private student. Basis these findings, the Court suspended the TTFI Executive Committee and appointed a Committee of Administrators to run the TTFI until conclusion of the inquiry.

This Article examines:

• The Background of The Case
• Unfolding of Layers Before the Honourable Delhi High Court
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Roy’s Attempts to Pressurise Manika
  • Rules of the TTFI
  • Defence of the Table Tennis Federation of India
  • Constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee
• Proceedings Before The Independent Enquiry Committee
  • Constitution of the Committee of Administrators
• Judicial Review

The authors represented Manika in this matter.