Maken questions AITA’s decision to pick one team
June 18th, 2012 - 7:35 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Sports minister Ajay Maken Monday questioned All India Tennis Association’s (AITA) decision to send only one men’s doubles team to the London Olympics when it had the option of picking two.
“We can send 2 teams, why send 1? Hidden question is on who should pair Sania? Why disturb victorious Grand Slam mixed double pair?” Maken tweeted, reacting to the latest controversy in Indian tennis.
AITA Friday chose Bhupathi and Paes for the London Games over the current tour pairing of Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.
Two Indian doubles teams can compete in the mega event as the World No.7 Paes is eligible to choose the player of his choice on the basis of his individual ranking while seventh-ranked Bhupathi and Bopanna qualify as a team.
AITA, however, is firm on sending a lone team, saying the pair having Paes will have the best chance of winning an Olympic medal.
The June 21 deadline of filing the nomination is approaching near even though Bhupathi and Bopanna have declined to play alongside Paes.
AITA will take a decision on the 2012 French Open winning mixed doubles pairing of Bhupathi and Sania Mirza if the latter gets a wildcard for the July 27-Aug 12 event.
- Paes serves a threat, AITA defers Olympics selection (Roundup) - Jun 20, 2012
- AITA keeps players happy; to send two teams for Games (Second Lead) - Jun 21, 2012
- Players should put country first, says Maken - Jun 22, 2012
- Sports minister asks AITA why not send two teams (Lead) - Jun 18, 2012
- Paes threatens to withdraw from Olympics - Jun 20, 2012
- Sania tears apart AITA, doesn't spare Paes and Bhupathi (Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
- Vece Paes slams AITA's decision - Jun 21, 2012
- Sania, Somdev get wild card; 7 Indians for Olympic tennis (Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
- Selector Rohit Rajpal to meet Paes in London - Jun 22, 2012
- Paes to play with Vishnu, Bhupathi-Bopanna team up (Lead) - Jun 21, 2012
- Sania slams Paes for demanding 'written assurances' - Jun 27, 2012
- AITA rejects Sania's claims, says team selected on merit - Jun 27, 2012
- AITA picks two teams for Olympics, Paes still unhappy (Roundup) - Jun 21, 2012
- AITA asks sports ministry to convince warring players (Roundup) - Jun 18, 2012
- Paes to partner Bhupathi at London Olympics (Lead) - Jun 15, 2012
Tags: aita, ajay maken, doubles team, french open, hidden question, India, indian tennis, june 21, latest controversy, london games, london olympics, mixed doubles, New Delhi, nomination, olympic medal, olympics, rohan bopanna, sania mirza, tennis association, wildcard