After historic 2018, Indian TT team's Olympic preparation hits 'coach' roadblock

The Indian table tennis team's preparations in an Olympic qualification year have hit a major roadblock with the players having to fend for themselves without a coach, following a path-breaking 2018.

The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and the Sports Authority of India, which is the employer of all coaches, are still far from finding Massimo Costantini's successor five months after the Asian Games, where India ended a 60-year-wait for a table tennis medal.

India, in fact, got two medals from Jakarta with the men's team and the mixed doubles pairing of Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra winning a bronze each. The unprecedented performance at Asiad has raised hopes of an Olympic medal, mainly in mixed doubles.

"There is no movement in the appointment of the foreign coach. We had sent shortlisted names to SAI and Sports Ministry but as of now, the government is busy with Khelo India. Everything else has been put on hold," a TTFI official told PTI on Wednesday.

The final approval ...