Rohan Bopanna excluded from AITA SOM roster

Former world number one doubles player Rohan Bopanna has been excluded from the All India Tennis Association (AITA) Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster. The exclusion is due to his failure to meet the mandatory one-year retirement criterion established under the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026.

Although Bopanna ended his career representing India following the 2024 Paris Olympics, he continued to compete on the professional ATP tour until November 1, 2025. Because the SOM roster was published on October 16, 2026, he fell short of the required one-year period of active retirement by only a few days.

Reports indicate Bopanna sought eligibility clarification from Administrator Gita Mittal and applied only after receiving assurance from the federation that he met the criteria. The discrepancy appears to stem from a distinction between his retirement from national representation in 2024 and his continued participation in professional international circuits.