Paris [France], August 5 (ANI): India badminton icon Prakash Padukone feels players need to step up and take responsibility for their performances and success, and the federation cannot be blamed for the lack of results.
India once again fell short of getting their hands at a medal in the ongoing Paris Olympics. Shuttler Lakshya Sen missed out on a bronze medal in the men’s singles event after enduring a defeat against Malaysia’s Zii Jia Lee.
Padukone believes the athletes were provided everything they asked for and need to take responsibility for their performances.
“You know, like I said, I think it’s high time the players also need to take responsibility. All these years, we could say there were not enough facilities or encouragement. It is only getting better. I am not just talking about badminton, but the top 30 or 40 who had a chance of winning a medal had been given whatever they wanted. They were never said no, even if the demands were sometimes unreasonable,” Padukone told reporters.
“And a little bit of effort from the players also, a little more responsibility, a little more accountability, not just ask for whatever you ask. Once you are given that, then you also have to be accountable. I feel that even in the last Olympics, I said that. I think the players have to learn to take responsibility. In India, I think, you know, a lot of the top players, once they, I mean, they have to show the way to the younger generation also, of course, they inspire a lot of young kids to take up a sport,” he added.
Lakshya’s defeat was another instance when an Indian athlete failed to deliver when it mattered the most. Shooter Arjun Babuta finished fourth in the men’s 10m air rifle event. Archers Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara suffered a heartbreaking loss in the bronze medal match in the mixed team event.
Shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Jeet Singh Naruka missed a bronze medal in the skeet mixed team competition.
“Ultimately, you know, everybody, even the federation, the foundation, the academies, can only do so much. We can provide everything we can. Ultimately, they also have to take responsibility and deliver when it matters the most. Because it’s not that, you know, we are expecting they’ve beaten the same players in some other tournaments. So, you know, when it comes to the Olympics, we are not able to, so, you know, you need to introspect, you need to, the players also need to introspect. You cannot just keep asking for more and more and more. You have to introspect, you know, like, okay, what, you know, what am I doing enough? Maybe, you know, the players are not working hard enough. You know, maybe it is not enough to get a medal at the Olympics,” Padukone stated.
India shuttlers returned empty-handed after Lakshya, the last remaining badminton player in the event- suffered heartbreak in the bronze medal match. Meanwhile, India’s top medal hopes PV Sindhu, star duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and HS Prannoy also fell short of claiming a medal for India.
Lakshya was in the pole position of claiming a medal for India in badminton after he led against Malyasia’s Zii Jia Lee following the conclusion of the first set.
However, Jia accelerated and increased the attacking intensity in the next two sets to take away the bronze medal.
Talking about Lakshya’s bronze medal match performance against Jia, Padukone said, “He played well. I am a little disappointed as he could not finish it. Yesterday, he was in a winning position in the first game, and it could have made a difference yesterday itself. Today, after winning the first, he was leading 8-3 in the second. He has always been a little uncomfortable playing on the faster side or playing with the wind. He needs to work a little more on that. He was low on confidence. There are a few areas on which we definitely need to work on. I am disappointed that we could not even win one medal in badminton. This time, the government, SAI (Sports Authority of India), TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme), everybody has done their bit.” (ANI)
