Indian Table Tennis Team Prepares for Paris Olympics with Expanded Support Staff

The Indian table tennis team, bound for the Paris Olympics, is currently undergoing intensive training in Saarbrucken, Germany. The support staff accompanying the team outnumbers the players, with a total of nine members assisting the six-member playing contingent.

Massimo Costantini, Italy's former head coach, has returned to lead the Indian team for the third time. He is assisted by Sourav Chakraborty, a former player who serves as the other national coach. Unusually, the government has approved four personal coaches to travel with the squad, with each member of the women's team opting for their own coach throughout the Summer Games.

The support staff also includes two masseurs and a physiotherapist. The women's team comprises Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Archana Kamath, who will rely on their personal coaches during their Paris campaign. Sharath Kamal, India's flag-bearer, will be accompanied by Chris Pfeiffer in the men's team, which also includes Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar.

While the presence of multiple coaches may lead to a plethora of ideas, Costantini, who has been with the squad for over a month, does not perceive it as an issue. He emphasizes that the personal coaches are part of the team mechanism and that he will ultimately make the final decisions.

However, only designated team coaches will have access to the field of play, while personal coaches will be restricted to observing from the stands and staying outside the Games' village.

The Indian table tennis team faced controversy during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when Manika Batra refused assistance from then-national coach Soumyadeep Roy and later accused him of match-fixing. This incident led to the suspension of the Table Tennis Federation of India due to the "sorry" state of affairs within the national sports federation.

Ahead of the 2024 edition, all personal coaches have joined the Indian contingent in Saarbrucken. The team will train there until July 21 before departing for Paris. The individual events will precede the team event, in which India has secured a first-ever qualification in both categories. The seedings will be announced on Tuesday.

"Olympics is an event of life. The focus of the camp here is on footwork and stamina. Both mental and physical fitness is key, especially in best of seven games scenario," Costantini said. "The mind and body have to be in sync for the players to excel. We are training in a pressure-free environment," added the Italian.

Tags: #TableTennis, #ParisOlympics, #IndianTeam, #MassimoCostantini, #PersonalCoaches