New Delhi, December 13: With just 10 days to go for the Cadet and Sub-Junior Nationals, to be held at Ajmer, the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has tightened the noose around the age-defaulters with an ultimatum of producing the proper age-proof certificates to the federation.

This follows the drive initiated by the TTFI during the East Zone National Ranking Championships at Siliguri this October after several protests were lodged by players and parents alike. In fact, it has also come to the knowledge of TTFI that certain paddlers have been the habitual offenders with more than one registered dates of birth which the state associations have been conveniently ignoring.

In all the errant cases, the TTFI has taken stern actions, including docking ranking points and suspending the players from participating in that particular event. But with the menace of over-age continuing and has been one of the main issues, the TTFI has decided to ask for an undertaking from those players under the radar of suspicion.

The introduction of undertaking, TTFI secretary-general Dhanraj Choudhary feels, will curb the overage threat effectively. “Since as per the undertaking a player can be subjected to a medical test by a panel of doctors and if he or she is proven guilty, the paddler will be penalized, with the maximum punishment of debarment.

Another measure the TTFI is set to introduce is the on-line entry system. The Patna nationals could see the commencement of the system for the first time. This has been necessitated because of the large number of last minute entries being sent by various state associations and individual players. “This has often created confusion at the venue with players landing up without valid entries. Moreover, the on-line entry registration will also put an end to the eleventh hour entries from state associations, adding to the burden of the tournament officials” said Choudhary.

Meanwhile, in the Vatika North Zone National Ranking Table Tennis Championships that began at the Hansraj Model School here, group matches were underway in the Cadet and Sub-Junior sections. With 36 groups in sub-junior boys and 24 in girls’ category, the paddlers will have to play at least three matches each before the main draw events that start later tonight. In comparison, the Cadet boys have 22 groups, the girls have 16 groups. They start their main draw matches tomorrow.