Bharadwaj says TTFI selection criteria were diluted after elected body took charge
Vasanth Bharadwaj said in Mumbai on August 14, 2026 that the Table Tennis Federation of India’s selection criteria were watered down as soon as the elected dispensation assumed control, and he voiced frustration at the federation’s current functioning. Bharadwaj, who helped design the selection policy while serving as an expert consultant to the Delhi High Court-appointed Committee of Administrators in 2022, offered recommendations for the incoming Committee of Administrators.
Bharadwaj has been involved in Indian table tennis for well over five decades and co-founded Tenvic Sports with former India cricket captain Anil Kumble. He was engaged by the High Court-appointed CoA in 2022 to help devise TTFI’s selection criteria. With the federation again facing suspension and criticism from the Sports Ministry over its selection policy, Bharadwaj has spoken publicly about the changes made after the elected executive took office. He said he remains concerned about administration priorities and has put forward proposals for the next CoA.
Responding to the suspension of TTFI’s elected executive committee, Bharadwaj said: "They operate in such an inefficient manner. Nobody over there seems to have the motivation to look after the athletes. Our tenure under the administrator (Committee of Administrators appointed by the Delhi High Court) it feels like we couldn’t complete the job, so I feel I am partly responsible." He described long-standing differences between the president and the secretary as harmful to the sport’s ecosystem.
On the federation’s approach to athletes, Bharadwaj warned that lack of a player-centric mindset was the root problem, saying: "If the fundamental approach is not player-centric, irrespective of the personnel you have in place, there is nothing you can do." He pointed to instances where better administrative support could have helped athletes prepare, citing Manika Batra and arguing that officials should have sat her down three months before Asian Games selection to plan qualification and support her.
Bharadwaj outlined the selection formulas his group proposed for age-group teams: for under-15s an 80:20 split favouring domestic performances over international rankings, and for under-17s a 70:30 split. For seniors, he said the CoA recommended 50% weight for internationals, 40% for domestic performances and 10% subjective assessment, but the elected dispensation altered that to 40% for world rankings and 50% for domestic results. He argued that players who perform consistently on the world circuit should be accommodated even if that limits their participation in a crowded domestic calendar.
Addressing doubles, Bharadwaj noted the format’s presence in major world events and his own effort to mandate doubles at senior National Ranking Tournaments: "Since most of the major World events have a doubles match – which tends to be the clincher in most cases – I initiated that every National Ranking Tournament had to have doubles events for seniors. Even that has got diluted." He said the dilution of doubles and other measures raised questions about whether athletes were being prioritised.
Bharadwaj also referred to coach development and junior pathways, noting that the government has funded coach Max Costantini and that "I feel his capabilities have not been fully utilised by the federation." He listed coach development, junior programmes and a doubles academy as pressing needs to improve India’s standing.
"In conclusion, I just hope that the authorities end up appointing capable and neutral athletes to govern the sport as a part of the Ad hoc Committee to be constituted by the IOA in consultation with the ITTF," Bharadwaj said, urging the formation of that Committee as the next administrative step.