Swastika Ghosh on Thursday became the third table tennis player to approach the Delhi High Court over exclusion from India's Commonwealth Games (CWG) squad, her father and coach Sandeep confirmed.
Earlier, paddlers Diya Chitale and Manush Shah also approached the Delhi High Court for the same reason.
After Chitale approached the Delhi High Court, she was included in the squad for the July-August event on June 7, at the expense of Archana Kamath. Shah, however, remains a reserve player.
Why have Ghosh, Chitale and Shah moved court?
The Committee of Administrators (CoA), which has been looking after the sport following the suspension of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), had last week announced a provisional women's team comprising Indian No. 1 Manika Batra, Kamath, Sreeja Akula and Reeth Rishya in the team with 19-year-old Chitale on standby.
The provisional list was then sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI). But according to a report published in Telegraph India, the Union sports ministry, in a letter put the responsibility of finalising back on the CoA's shoulders.
The selection committee, which was being chaired by CoA member SD Mudgil, after another meeting with SAI on June 6, then finalised the team.
Kamath, who plays doubles and was expected to be paired with Batra, was excluded from the squad altogether, while Ghosh was named as a standby player.
"There is only one change. Diya comes in as the fourth player in place of Archana. Archana did not meet the criteria but we thought she is also a good medal prospect (as she is world number 4 alongside Manika). But we were in a dilemma and that is why we went to the SAI and sought its guidance. The selectors in the end took the call to include Diya who has also done well domestically and as well as in international events. She would be playing the doubles alongside Manika," Mudgil had told PTI.
The team selection factors in performances in domestic (50 per cent) and international tournaments (30 per cent) while the remaining 20 per cent is left to the selectors' discretion. However, the CoA has decided to change the ratio to 40-40-20 from next season.
A place in the squad still not guaranteed, Manush Shah has decided to go ahead with the case which is coming up for hearing on June 10. "There is no going back now. We will not withdraw the case and see what happens in the hearing on June 10," Manush's father Utpal told PTI.
"There are time constraints too with a deadline to send entries being June 29. After the CoA decision, it looks tough for us but we remain hopeful. We also have written to CoA thrice on what grounds Manush has not made the team but we haven't got a response," he added.
With PTI inputs
