India’s badminton legend Prakash Padukone faced backlash for his remarks following Lakshya Sen’s loss in the bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics.
Expressing his disappointment over the Indian badminton stars’ near-misses at the Paris Games, Padukone urged players to handle pressure better, become accountable, and deliver results after receiving support. His comments came after Lakshya Sen failed to secure a win against Lee Zii Jia, resulting in a medal-less campaign for the Indian badminton team. However, Ashwini Ponnappa, a member of India’s badminton contingent in the 2024 Olympics, criticized Padukone for blaming the players.
“It’s disappointing to see this. When players win, everyone wants to share the credit, but when they lose, it’s only the player’s fault?!” Ponnappa wrote on Instagram.
“Why aren’t coaches held accountable for lack of preparation? They are quick to take credit for victories but should also take responsibility for defeats. Winning is a team effort, and losing should be viewed the same way. You can’t just blame the player.”
Padukone emphasized the need for mental training for athletes to handle pressure situations. He suggested adopting a system like China’s, which doesn’t rely on a single player but continually develops new talent.
“We can’t be satisfied with just one player. We need to focus on the next line, even the third line, like in cricket. We need to develop talent consistently,” he said.
“There must be more responsibility and accountability from players. Once provided with support, they must also deliver results.”
Padukone also mentioned that Sen needs both mental training and game improvement, particularly in handling the wind during play. He highlighted the importance of sports psychology and suggested bringing foreign sports psychologists to support the athletes.
“In the Olympics, many top players lose because they can’t handle the pressure, not because they lack technical skills. Olympics is all about managing pressure, so focusing on mental training, meditation, and yoga is crucial,” he added.
Padukone called for continuous mental training rather than last-minute preparations to make a significant difference in athletes’ performances.
