The Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association (TNTTA) has denied North Bengal paddler Ankita Das permission to take part in the season’s State-ranking tournaments, which begin here on June 3.
Twenty-two-year-old Ankita, a former National champion, had written to the TNTTA last month asking to be registered as a Tamil Nadu player so she could play in ranking tournaments; she felt North Bengal “lacked the facilities” needed for progress.
In reply, the TNTTA had asked her for a no-objection certificate (NOC) from North Bengal. According to a TNTTA source, there was no response from the paddler.
For its part, the TNTTA has closed the matter by telling Ankita and the Table Tennis Federation of India that “it is not interested.”
TNTTA sources told The Hindu on Monday that it came to the decision because Ankita, who ended last season as India No. 7, was not going to represent TN in any of the National championships as she plays for ONGC.
Moreover, it felt that by giving her an opportunity, it would only deny chances to local players.
Ankita, for her part, said she had mailed the NOC to the TNTTA, but received no response. “Earlier they (TNTTA) seemed interested from what I read in the media. Now I am confused,” she said.
The paddler, who has been travelling to Chennai to train under former National champion S. Raman for the last couple of years, has now decided to shift base to the city.
