Table Tennis: Sanil all set to replace tainted Ghosh at Commonwealth Games

India paddler Sanil Shetty. Pic/Atul Kamble

Malad resident Sanil Shetty, a reserve paddler in the five-member table tennis contingent for the April 4 to 15 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia is all set to replace alleged rape-accused Soumyajit Ghosh. Shetty, who returned with India's 12-member squad on Sunday after participating in the German Open, cleared the mandatory dope test for all CWG-bound athletes on Tuesday and is scheduled to meet Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) Secretary General, MP Singh in New Delhi today to pick up his ticket.

Dhanraj Choudhary, Advisor of the TTFI, was confident that Sanil would be allowed to travel. "We have sent Sanil's name as replacement for Ghosh to the Indian Olympic Association. We are expecting their reply in two days. It's most likely that he will travel," Choudhary told mid-day yesterday.

Meanwhile, Sanil admitted the CWG opportunity is a surprise but not a pleasant one at that. "Nobody would want to go for the Commonwealth Games like this. I was preparing for the Asian Cup [April 6-8 in Japan] and Asian Games [August 18 to September 2 in Jakarta], then suddenly this happened," Sanil said on the sidelines of the Ultimate Table Tennis Player Draft yesterday.

The Indian TT squad that has been training in Europe is in shock over the Ghosh episode. "I'm sure it's a shocker for him too. He is a very kind-hearted and friendly guy. Whoever knows him well, will never believe this. We never knew about this relationship of his because he never shared his personal life with us," Sanil added. However, the team will not be bogged down by the news, felt Sanil.

"We have to be positive in Gold Coast. And under all circumstances, we are there to help Ghosh," said Sanil, who bagged bronze in the doubles with Anthony Amalraj in the Polish Open earlier this month and hopes to carry his form Down Under and return with a medal.

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