Upset with association, para player to quit table tennis

Indian Paralympic table tennis player Suvarna Raj has decided to quit the game, alleging that she has been denied playing opportunities due to politics in sports bodies.

Suvarna (34), who was afflicted by polio at the age of two, has won two medals in Thailand Para Table Tennis Open 2013 and has also participated in the Asian Para Games 2014 in Korea.

Suvarna told ANI, "Not a single national game has been organised since 2012, how are the players supposed to play then? The players are not informed about the teams participating in the events by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI)," said irked.

"There is no game in Para, where politics is not involved. Coaches are not available for para players. I have also complained about this to the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) but no actions have been taken. If players do sycophancy of the PCI and the TTFI then the coaches are ready to teach them, otherwise the players who do not resort this method are not provided training," she said.

She further said that a lot of players have complained about the PCI to the concerned ministry and thus it was de-recognised thrice.

Suvarna said, "I started playing table tennis in 2008 and have been only facing struggles since then. When I was practicing for the Commonwealth Games, my coach told me that he was warned not to train me".

On being asked if she will opt for any other game after quitting table tennis, she said, "I am very confused about it now because at the end everything comes under the PCI or the SAI, so I am not sure whether I will be able to achieve success in other game".

Suvarna said that she now wants to meet Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore in the coming two days.

"I now request Rajyavardhan Rathore to meet me as I want to share the problems para players face during the events and I know he will understand the situation very well as he has also been a player", she said.

Suvarna concluded that if nothing will be done then she will launch a protest as careers of several players like her are at risks.