New Delhi, June 19
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports today left it to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to sort out the team selection controversy after a meeting with AITA officials, taking the plea that “the Sports Ministry is not part of the selection process”.

The Ministry had asked the AITA yesterday to answer why only one doubles team were selected for the London Olympics when the country could have fielded two as Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna had qualified for the London Olympics tennis doubles on their own, and the federation could have nominated another player to partner Leander Paes, who has also made the Olympic cut, by virtue of being ranked seventh in the world in doubles.

The Ministry said Sports Minister Ajay Maken had raised certain issues with AITA president Anil Khanna, which had been brought to its notice “by certain eminent and iconic players”. It further clarified that “certain options were suggested by the AITA in the prevailing circumstances, and the Sports Minister advised it to exercise the option that is in the best of national interest, and left it to the AITA to decide”.

Apparently, the AITA told Maken that it had the sole right to select the Olympic team, without outside interference, as the Ministry getting involved in selection matters would not have been taken kindly by the International Tennis Federation, the International Olympic Committee and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The AITA explained the logic behind the selection of Bhupathi to partner Leander in the doubles, as the former could also play in the mixed doubles if the federation succeeds in getting a wild card for Sania Mirza, which is a possibility, considering the kind of clout AITA president Anil Khanna enjoys in the international body. Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza had clinched the French Open Grand Slam mixed doubles recently, strengthening their claim for an Olympic berth as a pair.

“The Ministry has said that it will support AITA’s decision and that of the Indian Olympic Assocaition,” Anil Khanna said after the meeting.