Court highlights improper selection process by Paralympic Committee of India; mandates adherence to fair and transparent norms for Para Table Tennis team
Bangalore, September 16, 2026 — In a significant judgment impacting the selection process of athletes for international para-sports events, the Karnataka High Court has directed the relevant authorities to reconsider the selection of the women's doubles table tennis team for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games scheduled from October 18 to 24, 2026.
The case was brought before the court by Dr. Rajalakshmi Shankar Janardhana Murthy, a distinguished Para Table Tennis player and Consultant Orthodontist, who challenged her exclusion from the women's doubles team despite her commendable international achievements, including a bronze medal at the ITTF Para Asian Championships, Beijing 2025.
Dr. Rajalakshmi, who is wheelchair-bound with an 80% permanent disability, is affiliated with the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and recognized by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). She argued that the selection process carried out by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) did not follow the prescribed norms, particularly concerning doubles team pairing, thereby unfairly denying her rightful place in the contingent.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had issued selection criteria on September 24, 2025, which stipulated benchmarks for both individual and team events. For team events like doubles, the criteria required the National Sports Federation (NSF) to nominate teams ranked within the top 8 among Asian countries in recent championships or international rankings. However, the Ministry’s affidavit acknowledged that while Dr. Rajalakshmi and her doubles partner met the eligibility criteria by ranking 6th in their category, the PCI had filled the six female athlete slots based on singles rankings alone and left the choice of doubles partners to the selected athletes, a practice the court found contrary to standard norms.
The court noted the absence of a proper selection process for doubles teams, emphasizing that doubles participation normally requires pairs accustomed to playing together, considering factors such as compatibility and strategic combination of classes, which PCI had overlooked. It was also pointed out that while men’s doubles teams had been selected, no corresponding selection had been made for women’s doubles teams.
The court refrained from delving into inter-authority responsibilities but underscored the necessity for a transparent, fair, and technically sound selection process. It directed the respondents to reconsider Dr. Rajalakshmi’s inclusion in the women’s doubles team expeditiously, with a final decision to be made within one week from receipt of the judgment copy, given the impending event dates.
Furthermore, the court urged the Ministry and PCI to implement corrective measures to ensure future selections strictly adhere to established norms, maintaining the integrity of India’s representation in international para-sports.
This judgment is a critical reminder of the need for sports authorities to uphold fairness and transparency, especially in para-sports, where athletes face unique challenges and deserve equitable opportunities to compete on the world stage.
Bottom Line:
Sports selection process - Court directed reconsideration of team selection for women's doubles table tennis events for Para Asian Games 2026, highlighting lack of adherence to proper norms and selection procedures.
Statutory provision(s): Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Selection Policy dated 24.09.2025 (Selection criteria for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games)
