CCI Issues Cease-and-Desist Order Against Table Tennis Federation of India and Its Affiliates
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New Delhi, Dec 13 (NationPress) The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has issued a cease-and-desist order against the Table Tennis Federation of India and its affiliated entities for abuse of dominance by restricting the organization of table tennis tournaments and obstructing players from taking part in these events.
Nevertheless, the CCI opted not to impose financial penalties in this case, as the TTFI and its affiliates took corrective actions to resolve the issues identified during the investigation.
The CCI issued the order on 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 the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), citing violations of Sections 3(4) and 4 of the Act, which resulted in refusal to deal and abuse of dominance.
According to an official announcement released on Friday, the CCI discovered that TTFI and its affiliates engaged in actions such as issuing WhatsApp advisories, public notices, and including certain anti-competitive clauses in their bye-laws, which restricted the organization of table tennis tournaments and aimed to prevent players from participating in these events, thereby violating provisions of Sections 3(4) and 4 of the Act.
This case was initiated based on a complaint from the TT Friendly Super League Association, which alleged that TTFI and its affiliates engaged in anti-competitive practices, including denying table tennis players access to events due to a WhatsApp notice issued by the General Secretary of TSTTA and restrictive clauses present in the TTFI Memorandum of Association.
The Commission concluded, based on the evidence at hand, that TTFI and its affiliates maintain a dominant position in the relevant markets for organizing table tennis events and tournaments, as well as for providing services by players in India, as stated in the official announcement.
The Commission observed that TTFI and its affiliates, through actions such as issuing WhatsApp advisories, public notices, and incorporating certain anti-competitive clauses in their governing documents, constrained the organization of table tennis tournaments and attempted to impede player participation, which resulted in violations of Sections 3(4) and 4 of the Act.
Moreover, the Commission recognized that TTFI and its affiliated bodies took corrective steps to address the concerns raised during the investigation, including the withdrawal of anti-competitive communications, amending or eliminating restrictive clauses from their governing documents, and issuing advisories aimed at promoting open competition.
