Rohan Bopanna left out of AITA SOM roster over retirement rule

Rohan Bopanna has been excluded from the AITA's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster because he did not meet the mandatory one-year retirement criterion prescribed under the National Sports Governance Rules, 2026. The AITA published its roster on 16 October 2026, and Bopanna announced his retirement from professional tennis on 1 November 2025, falling short of the one-year requirement by a few days. The rules require a sportsperson to have been retired for at least one year before the date of application.

Bopanna had reportedly sought clarity on his eligibility from Administrator Gita Mittal and sent in his application only after receiving assurance from the tennis federation. The confusion may have arisen because the AITA considered his India career, which ended in 2024, but Bopanna remained active on the professional ATP Tour until October 2025. The 40 sportspersons on the SOM roster will form the electoral college for choosing athlete representatives to AITA's General Body and Executive Committee. The roster includes Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza among others.