Putting to rest speculation about the participation of top Indian tennis players in the Afro-Asian Games, the Indian Olympic Association on Thursday said all the senior players, barring Leander Paes, will play in the inaugural edition, starting next week.
"Mahesh Bhupathi and Prakash Amritraj have confirmed their participation. So all the top Indian players will be there in the Afro-Asian Games," IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi told reporters during a video conference in New Delhi.
Kalmadi, who is currently in Hyderabad to oversee preparations for the October 24 to November 1 Games, said Paes is the only top player who will miss the action as he is recovering from a brain lesion.
Last week, the All India Tennis Association named a second string men's team for the Games. None of the players who figured in the team that lost to Holland in the Davis Cup match last month figured in the squad.
On the absence of key players in other disciplines, including hockey ace Dhanraj Pillay, Kalmadi said he requested Indian Hockey Federation chief K P S Gill to name the best possible squad for the event.
Kalmadi also said Olympics bronze medallist Karnam Malleshwari may not take part in the Games since she is preparing for the next year's Olympics in Athens.
"[Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister] Chandrababu Naidu spoke to her recently. But since Malleshwari is India's best bet to win a medal in Athens, she should be given the chance to skip the Afro-Asian Games. She will be preparing for the World Championships to qualify for the mega event," he added.
