Unprofessional ethically wrong Bhagat on medal predictions ahead of Asian Para Games finals

New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) Tokyo Paralympic champion shuttler Pramod Bhagat on Thursday urged the authorities to take action against former head coach Gaurav Khanna for publicly predicting India's medal tally ahead of the finals at the recently-concluded Asian Para Games in Japan.

     The controversy centres on Khanna's now-deleted social media post which had predicted that India would finish with fewer medals than it had won in the 2022 edition.

     A day before the finals, he wrote that India would win 16 medals, including two gold, six silver and eight bronze. He later deleted the post. India eventually won 16 medals, comprising three gold, five silver and eight bronze.

     India had won 21 medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 13 bronze) in para badminton in the 2022 edition of the Asian Para Games.

     "I find it extremely unprofessional and ethically wrong to publish medal statements by name a day before the conclusion of a prestigious tournament like Asian Para Games, particularly when they come from someone who identifies himself as its head coach. Such actions raise serious questions about professional responsibility and impartiality," Bhagat told PTI.

     "BAI traditionally announces contingent's overall medal tally after the tournament concludes, allowing every athlete to compete without preconceived narratives about the outcome. It’s also an embarrassing situation when athletes of other countries are also referring such unethical behaviour."

     Khanna currently runs a badminton academy in Lucknow and many of his wards have competed at the highest level.

     Bhagat urged BAI, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and other concerned authorities to examine the matter and establish clear guidelines to prevent similar incidents in the future.

     "I sincerely hope BAI, SAI and the concerned authorities take this matter seriously and examine it appropriately.

     "As athletes representing India, we deserve a fair and supportive environment in which to compete. Such incidents should not be ignored, and clear guidelines must be established to ensure they are not repeated in the future.”

     India's para badminton chairman K Prabhakar Rao has also criticised Khanna's post, alleging that it put athletes under psychological pressure, and said he would raise the matter with the Badminton Association of India (BAI) for appropriate action.

     Bhagat, a six-time world champion, had been predicted by Khanna to win silver and he eventually finished second after losing to Nitesh Kumar in the SL3 final at Aichi-Nagoya.

     “In my case, I was predicted to win silver in the men’s singles SL3 final, which I eventually lost to Nitesh Kumar. Every match is different, and no outcome is certain until the final point is played.

     "Such predictions can create unnecessary pressure on athletes, influence public perception and lead to negativity towards players who do not achieve the predicted results."

     The 38-year-old from Bihar said the Indian contingent had maintained a positive mind set throughout the tournament and that the final day should have been about competing freely and winning medals for the country.

     "Statements like these risk creating tension at a crucial stage when athletes need support, not additional distractions," he said.

     "There is also a longstanding practice in badminton of maintaining neutrality when two Indian players face each other in any tournament at any level. In this context, publicly predicting the outcome of an India-versus-India final raises concerns about fairness and professional conduct."

     On Tuesday, the players lodged a complaint against Khanna with the Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Badminton Association of India (BAI) president and secretary general, among others. They sought a formal inquiry and appropriate disciplinary action against him.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)