Tokyo Olympics 2020: Manika Batra, who created history by reaching the third round of women’s singles of table tennis in Tokyo Olympics, is in trouble. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has decided to take action against him in the coach dispute.
Manika Batra’s refusal to seek help from national coach Soumyadeep Roy during the Tokyo Olympics has been termed as indiscipline by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTIF). The Tennis Federation said action would be taken against him during the executive board meeting next month. Roy, a Commonwealth Games 2006 team event gold medalist and Arjuna Awardee, is the only coach with a four-man team in Tokyo. Manika has gone with her personal coach Sanmay Paranjpe but she was not allowed to enter the competition venue.
TTFI general secretary Arun Kumar Banerjee told Tokyo, “This is indiscipline. Manika should have allowed the national coach to sit near the court during her matches as did the rest of the players. Roy is one of India’s best players and is now a well-known coach. “He said, “The online meeting of the executive board will be held soon. We will take a decision on the action against him.” What the TTIF decides will have to be seen but it is certain that the presence of all Indian players in the national camps will be mandatory. Manika attended the camp in Sonepat for only three days while the camp lasted for three weeks. G Sathiyan also practices with a personal coach but Roy was with him during their second round match.
Manika had refused National coach services
Manika had refused national coach Soumyadeep Roy’s advice in the first round match of the Tokyo Olympics after her personal coach was not allowed to enter the court. However, she was then defeated by Britain’s 94th ranked player Tin Tin Ho. He did the same in the third round. But she had to face defeat from 10th seed Austria’s Sofia Polkanova. However, when she landed with Achanta Sharath Kamal in the mixed doubles match, Soumyadeep was seen standing in the coach’s corner.
