TTFI may review ban on Basak

The Table Tennis Federation of India may review the decision to ban the country's leading men's player Arup Basak for a year if he appeals for reconsideration, says TTFI secretary general M C Chowhan.

Speaking to newsmen soon after the inauguration of the 62nd Senior national and inter-state table tennis championships, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium in Bhubneshwar on Friday afternoon, Chowhan said if an appeal from Basak is received, it will be discussed at the general council meeting of the TTFI, scheduled at New Delhi on February 7.

Basak had indicated at Calcuatta recently that he may appeal against the ban. "I will take a decision on this in the coming days," he said.

Chowhan said the ban was slapped on Basak for indiscipline. The show cause notice was given him on the basis of the report of the coach, he said.

A one-man inquiry committee, headed by S. N. Sultan, was also set up to probe the matter. ''Though Basak replied to the show cause notice, we were not satisfied with his explanation,'' Chowhan said.

Chowhan said a list of the best ten men and women's players would be drawn up after the ongoing championships.

They will be invited to a training camp from April 14 to 20 at New Delhi, ahead of the Commonwealth Championship. The Indian team will be selected from among the trainees, he said, adding the squad will also represent the country in the World Championships at Osaka.

Chowhan informed that the Indian men's team was ranked 25th in the world while the women's team was placed 57th. The performance of the women players has been disappointing, he said.

Regretting that table tennis as a sport lacked media attention, he said the Indian men's team had done well in the last Commonwealth championship.

In the men's category, three players, Chetan P. Baboor, Soumyadeep Roy and Subhajit Saha, held much promise for the future, he said.