NEW DELHI: After the omission of Manika Batra from the upcoming Asian Championships squad raised eyebrows, TTFI and the paddlers held clear-the-air talks at the national camp at Sonepat. A delegation which included TTFI advisor MP Singh and secretary Arun Banerjee met the players and had a meeting late on Wednesday.
The federation on their part emphasised on the importance of national camps with regards to team bonding, doubles and mixed doubles training. They also reiterated that players who will not be part of future camps will not be eligible for selection. The timing of most national camps will be based on big-ticket events and will not be a regular feature.
The topic of personal coaches was also broached and while it remains a sensitive issue, certain compromises might be made in the future. Manika’s insistence on training at her Pune base meant she missed the bus this time. If she continues, it will not be a good look for the player and the federation as the team will be weakened. No compromise has been reached so far.
Paddlers also chipped in with suggestions and listed out a few demands of their own. One of the key points was prior intimation as the notice for the current camp, which concluded on Thursday, reached the players two days before the camp began. While most of the facilities at DPS, Sonepat are fine, paddlers informed the federation of the lack of a proper gymnasium. Other key points included addition of coaches, players and support staff.