Sports
oi-Ashish Rana
Indian badminton stars PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen have given the country a reason to celebrate with their recent performances. However, behind these achievements, Indian shuttlers have faced a funding problem during their European tour. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) did not provide financial support for the tour, forcing some players to spend their own money.
Indian badminton players PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen faced funding issues on their European tour after SAI denied support, citing BAI’s failure to adhere to new proposal deadlines, forcing players like Sindhu to self-fund their travel.
PV Sindhu Pays For Her European Tour
According to a report by The Indian Express, the Indian badminton team was scheduled to play four tournaments in Finland, Denmark, France and Germany. However, SAI did not approve the funding for the tour.
The players came to know about the decision just days before the Arctic Open, which started in Finland on 6 October.
PV Sindhu said she was surprised by the decision. “When I got to know, I was a bit shocked and wondered how the funding hadn’t gone through. I hadn’t faced something like that before,” she said.
The two-time Olympic medallist also said she had paid for her European tour using her own money. Olympic Gold Quest also provided additional support. She added that her main focus was on improving her game.
Why Did SAI Refuse To Release Funds?
According to sources in the Sports Ministry, the funding was not released because the Badminton Association of India (BAI) failed to submit its proposal within the given time.
SAI has also changed its funding rules. Earlier, sports federations had to submit proposals 90 or 60 days before a tournament. After receiving requests from federations, SAI reduced the deadline to 30 days. Player names are also required in the proposal.
SAI has said that these rules apply to all sports federations and funding cannot be approved without the required documents.
BAI Says It Was Not Aware Of New Rules
However, BAI sources have said that the federation was not informed about the revised rules.
“We were not aware of any such revised guidelines or the 30-day deadline for submitting the proposal. Had we been informed about the changes, we would have followed the necessary procedure. The funding issue has come as a surprise to us, and we are seeking clarity from SAI on the matter,” BAI sources told myKhel, Oneindia’s sister protal.
Players Also Face Problems Without Coaches
The funding issue has also affected players’ coaching arrangements. At the French Open, Ashmita Chaliha received support from fellow shuttler Isharani Baruah while defeating Akane Yamaguchi.
Tanvi Sharma, who reached the Denmark Open quarterfinals, also had to play without a coach guiding her from the sidelines.
Despite these problems, Indian players have continued to perform well. However, the funding controversy has raised questions about the support available to athletes representing India at international tournaments.
