Asian Para Games star seeks action against ex-coach over public medal predictions
India's Paralympic badminton champion Pramod Bhagat has urged authorities to take action against former head coach Gaurav Khanna for publicly predicting India's medal tally ahead of the recently concluded Asian Para Games in Japan.
Khanna had shared a social media post a day before the finals, forecasting that India's para badminton contingent would win fewer medals than it had at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou. The post was subsequently deleted.
He had predicted a tally of 16 medals, comprising two gold, six silver and eight bronze. India eventually matched the overall tally but finished with three gold, five silver and eight bronze medals, winning one more gold than Khanna had anticipated.BHAGAT QUESTIONS ETHICS
Bhagat criticised Khanna's decision to make his predictions public before the tournament had concluded, questioning the professional ethics behind the move.
"Making public medal predictions by naming athletes a day before the conclusion of a prestigious tournament like the Asian Para Games is extremely unprofessional and ethically wrong, particularly when the person doing so identifies himself as the head coach. Such actions raise serious questions about professional responsibility and impartiality," Bhagat told PTI.
He added that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) traditionally announces the contingent's overall medal tally after a tournament concludes, allowing athletes to compete without preconceived expectations about the outcome.
Bhagat also said the episode had drawn attention from athletes representing other countries, making it an embarrassing situation for the Indian contingent.
Khanna currently runs a badminton academy in Lucknow, and several of his wards have competed at the highest level.PLAYERS SEEK ACTION
Bhagat called on the BAI, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and other concerned authorities to investigate the matter and establish clear guidelines to prevent similar incidents.
Earlier on Tuesday, players lodged a complaint against Khanna with the Sports Ministry, SAI, and the BAI president and secretary general. They sought a formal inquiry and appropriate disciplinary action against the former coach.
India para badminton chairman K Prabhakar Rao has also criticised Khanna's post, alleging that it placed athletes under psychological pressure. He said he would raise the matter with the BAI and seek appropriate action.PREDICTIONS UNDER FIRE
Bhagat, a six-time world champion, was among the players whose performances Khanna had forecast. The former coach had predicted silver for Bhagat in the men's singles SL3 final, where the Indian eventually finished second after losing to Nitesh Kumar at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Bhagat said publicly predicting match outcomes could place athletes under unnecessary pressure and influence how their performances were perceived.
"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," he said.
The 38-year-old from Bihar said the Indian contingent had maintained a positive mindset throughout the tournament and that athletes should have been able to approach the final day without additional distractions.
Bhagat also questioned the decision to publicly predict the outcome of a final involving two Indian players, highlighting the importance of neutrality in such contests.
He pointed to a longstanding practice in badminton of maintaining neutrality when two Indian players face each other, regardless of the tournament or level of competition. Bhagat argued that predictions of this nature risk undermining fairness and professional conduct, particularly when athletes are competing for major international honours.
The players' complaints and calls for an official review have put the focus on the need for clearer guidelines governing public statements about athletes' expected performances during major competitions.- Ends
