CCI issues cease and desist order against Table Tennis Federation of India, affiliate bodies

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has issued a cease-and-desist order against the Table Tennis Federation of India and its affiliate bodies for abuse of dominance in restricting the organisation of table tennis tournaments and preventing players from participating in the events.

However, the CCI has stopped short of imposing monetary penalties in the case as TTFI and its affiliate bodies undertook corrective measures to address concerns raised during the investigation.

The CCI passed an order dated December 12, 2024 under the provisions of Section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002 against The Suburban Table Tennis Association (TSTTA), Maharashtra State Table Tennis Association (MSTTA), Gujarat State Table Tennis Association (GSTTA) and Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), for contravention of provisions of Sections 3(4) and 4 of the Act, resulting in refusal to deal and abuse of dominance.

“The CCI has found that the TTFI and its affiliates, through actions such as issuing WhatsApp advisories, public notices, and incorporating certain anti-competitive clauses in their bye-laws, restricted the organization of table tennis tournaments and sought to prevent players from participating in the events, resulting in violation of certain provisions of Sections 3(4) and 4 the Act,” according to an official statement issued on Friday.

The case originated from the information filed by the TT Friendly Super League Association. The informant alleged anti-competitive practices by TTFI and its affiliates, including denial of access to table tennis players for events due to a WhatsApp notice issued by the TSTTA General Secretary and restrictive clauses in the TTFI Memorandum of Association.

Based on the evidence available, the Commission determined that the TTFI and its affiliate bodies hold a dominant position in the relevant markets for the organisation of table tennis events and tournaments and the provision of services by the players for table tennis these events and tournaments, in India, the official statement said.

The Commission found that the TTFI and its affiliates, through actions such as issuing WhatsApp advisories, public notices, and incorporating certain anti-competitive clauses in their bye-laws, restricted the organization of table tennis tournaments and sought to prevent players from participating in the events, resulting in violation of certain provisions of Sections 3(4) and 4 the Act.

The Commission acknowledged that the TTFI and its affiliate bodies undertook corrective measures to address concerns raised during the investigation, including withdrawal of anti-competitive communications, amending or removing restrictive clauses from their governing documents, and issuing advisories for promoting open competition.