(Sports News) Harmeet Desai, has expressed doubts about the Table Tennis Federation of India’s (TTFI) decision to exclude him from the singles event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Although Harmeet has been selected for the squad, he will only participate in the team and mixed doubles events. Veterans Sharath Kamal and G Sathiyan have been chosen over Harmeet for the singles competition, as the rules permit only two entries.
In response to the TTFI’s statement, which cited reputation, experience, and world ranking points as the basis for selecting singles players, Harmeet argued that he meets all the criteria. With the upcoming Asian Games being his third participation and having represented India at the highest level for a considerable period, he possesses the necessary reputation and experience. Additionally, he holds the top rank in domestic tournaments and is the highest-ranked Indian in world rankings, making him a strong candidate for the singles event, as he stated in an interview.
Earlier this month, Harmeet achieved the highest ranking among Indian players due to his remarkable performance in table tennis. He reached the semifinals of the WTT Contender in Lagos and the pre-quarterfinals of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender in Tunis, impressively defeating two top-20 players. Turning 30 on July 19, he currently holds the 64th rank, placing him ahead of ten-time national champion Sharath (ranked 69) and Sathiyan (ranked 88).
Harmeet mentioned that he also sent an email to the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) but has not received any response yet.
Kamlesh Mehta, former national champion and TTFI secretary, clarified that during the selection committee meeting on June 27, Harmeet held a ranking of 71, trailing behind Sharath, who was ranked 54th, and Sathiyan, who was ranked 60th. He stated that they waited until June 27 to submit the names, as that was when the rankings were updated, and they based their selection solely on the rankings without any bias. The deadline for submission was June 30.
Following the selection controversy in table tennis during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where several Indian players, including Manush Shah, Archana Kamath, Swastika Ghosh, and Diya Chitale, took the matter to court after not being included in the Indian squad, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) decided to revise the selection criteria. The new criteria now allocate 50% weightage to domestic performances, 40% to international performances, and 10% to the selectors’ discretion.
Considering the criteria in place, Harmeet argues that there is no valid reason for him not to play in the singles event. However, Mehta counters this by stating that the selection of singles players was based solely on international rankings.
Mehta explains that the given criteria are intended for choosing the overall team. Harmeet has indeed made it into the team, but at the Asian Games, only two players are allowed to participate in the singles event. Given that it is an international event, the selection committee naturally relied on the international rankings while making the decision. This approach is also applied during WTT events, where international rankings carry significance.
Harmeet further raised concerns about the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) by pointing out the lack of consistency in their player selection for the singles event.
He cited an incident from the previous year’s Commonwealth Games where, despite having a higher world ranking than one of the selected players, he was not chosen for the singles event. During that time, national ranking was given precedence over international ranking, leading to his exclusion from the singles category. This inconsistency in their selection process has left him questioning the TTFI’s approach.
It’s worth noting that the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was selected by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), which managed the sport on a temporary basis at that time. The new committee took charge only in December of the current year.
Harmeet, who trains in Germany and actively participates in the Bundesliga, had an exceptional year. He achieved remarkable victories, including winning the singles title at the National Games in September of the previous year. Additionally, he emerged victorious in two national ranking tournaments and secured the runner-up position at the National Championships, where he was defeated by Sathiyan.
Harmeet, Sharath, and Sathiyan were integral members of the Asian Games squad that created history in the previous edition held in Jakarta. Their remarkable performance led India to end a 60-year-long wait for a medal in the team event, securing a well-deserved bronze medal.
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