The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) president Meghna Ahlawat has requested the Sports Ministry to keep its suspension as the National Sports Federation on hold and reconsider the decision, while raising concerns over the implications of an interim administrative arrangement proposed through the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
In a statement issued on Thursday, a day after the Ministry suspended its recognition with immediate effect, Ahlawat said the federation believed that the concerns raised in the Ministry’s order had either been addressed or required further factual clarification.
TTFI, while acknowledging the Ministry’s order, sought to underline its autonomy as a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. “The Federation therefore proposes to request the Ministry to kindly keep the Order dated 12.08.2026 in abeyance and to consider the matter afresh,” Ahlawat stated.
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She also cautioned against any external or interim administrative arrangement, referring to the principles of sporting autonomy recognised under Rules 27 and 28 of the Olympic Charter. It said the Olympic Charter and ITTF statutes protect the autonomy of National Sports Federations and require their administration to remain free from third-party interference.
The TTFI – for the second time in four and a half years – is set to be governed by a non-elected set of administrators. Vasanth Bharadwaj – a former international paddler who was roped in as an expert consultant by the Delhi High Court-appointed CoA in 2022 – wished for an athlete-centred approach.
“If the fundamental approach is not player-centric, irrespective of the personnel you have in place, there is nothing you can do. A sport with 30 players ranked in top-100 across age-groups and seniors should be in much better shape. But we are struggling to keep our house in order,” Bharadwaj told Sportstar.
“It’s something that has to be done on a priority basis. I just hope that the authorities end up appointing capable and neutral athletes to govern the sport as a part of the Committee of Administrators.”
Published on Aug 13, 2026
