Latest news with #AlishaKhan
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
AIU suspends joint secretary; orders probe after 6 Indian players barred from World University Games
AIU suspends joint secretary; orders probe after 6 Indian players barred from World University Games NEW DELHI: The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) on Tuesday suspended its joint secretary and constituted a four-member inquiry committee to investigate serious administrative lapses that left six Indian badminton players unable to compete at the ongoing World University Games in Germany. The move follows a communication from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and growing outrage over the exclusion of selected athletes and designated coaches, as well as penalties imposed for non-compliant team jerseys. 'In the interest of upholding accountability and procedural propriety, … AIU hereby places Dr. Baljit Singh Sekhon, Joint Secretary under suspension with immediate effect,' the AIU said in its order. A separate order issued on Tuesday stated: 'An Inquiry Committee has been constituted to examine all relevant records and communications related to the registration and management of the Indian contingent at the FISU World University Games 2025. The Committee shall determine the facts concerning the non-inclusion of selected athletes, exclusion of designated coaches, and penalties imposed by event organizers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Successful Way of Intraday Trading is "Market Profile" TradeWise Learn More Undo It will also identify any procedural lapses, fix responsibility, and recommend appropriate corrective and disciplinary measures.' The panel has been asked to submit its report within 15 days. The controversy erupted after only six of the 12 selected Indian badminton players were allowed to participate in the mixed team event because officials allegedly failed to submit all names correctly during the managers' meeting on July 16. Sources alleged that the debacle stemmed from 'systematic irregularities' beginning at the selection trials held in April at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar. 'During the managers' meeting, officials were handed a letter listing all 12 players. It was their responsibility to verify, confirm and adjust names for singles, doubles and mixed events. Instead, they submitted only six names, leaving the others ineligible,' a source said. 'This isn't just mismanagement, it's career sabotage. We demand answers and accountability,' wrote Alisha Khan, one of the excluded players, on Instagram. Despite the setback, India's depleted squad won bronze in the mixed team event. However, players alleged deeper issues, citing errors in jerseys, lack of a proper coach, and misleading assurances about participation in individual events. An AIU official said the matter is under investigation but refused to comment further.
India Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Your careers will end: Indian badminton players threatened at World University Games
Several Indian badminton players at the World University Games were threatened by team management after raising concerns about severe mismanagement behind the scenes. Multiple sources confirmed to India Today that the players were warned to remain silent or face consequences once they returned to erupted on Monday, July 21, just hours after India secured its first-ever medal in the mixed team event at the Games, being hosted in Germany. Under the leadership of World No. 47 Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, the team comprising Devika Sihag, Saneeth Dayanand, Tasnim Mir, Varshini Viswanath Sri, and Vaishnavi Khadkekar clinched the bronze should have been a historic moment quickly soured when one of the players, Alisha Khan, publicly alleged gross mismanagement by Indian officials. She claimed that only 6 out of 12 squad members were allowed to compete in the event because team managers BV Rao and Rashmi Ramachandra failed to submit the full list of players during the official managers' meeting with tournament authorities. Baljeet Singh, head of the Indian delegation, attempted to explain the incident in an interview with The Tribune, stating that coaches had selected the 'strongest' players in pursuit of a medal. However, players India Today spoke with strongly refuted this, accusing Singh and the managers of lying and incompetence.'We've been told that our careers will end once we return to India. That our BAI-IDs (Badminton Association of India IDs) will be revoked and we'll be barred from future competitions,' one player said under the condition of anonymity.'All the players, those who played and those who didn't, are united. We've all faced mismanagement throughout this tournament,' said MISMANAGEMENT BEHIND THE SCENESIndia Today has learnt that the Indian team had no practice court reserved before the tournament began because the managers allegedly forgot to book one. Players also had no shuttles for training, as no one from the Indian camp approached FISU (the University Games authority) to request to improvise, players initially used personal shuttles and later had to borrow used ones from other teams just to prepare for the 12 players selected to represent India, six — Rohan Kumar, Darshan Pujari, Aditi Bhatt, Abhinash Mohanty, Viraj Kuvale, and Alisha Khan — never got a chance to compete. Apparently the officials had forgotten their names during team said they only learnt of their omission when the team list for the first round was announced. Upon enquiry, they were reportedly told their names weren't included due to an players approached FISU officials to correct the error, they were told it was too late and that multiple reminders had been given to finalise the squad.'We only found out we weren't playing on the day of the first match. When we asked, the managers casually said they had forgotten to include our names,' a player a strongly worded Instagram post, Alisha Khan expressed the emotional and professional impact of the blunder.'The six who got to play gave their best and won bronze. But only they will now receive podium honours, merit certificates, government jobs, cash awards, and recognition. The rest of us return empty-handed, not due to lack of effort, but because of a careless blunder by the officials,' she MOUNT IN INDIAN CAMPWith only six players available throughout the mixed team event, physical strain has taken its toll. India Today can confirm that team leader Sathish Karunakaran has suffered a swollen ankle and is unlikely to participate in the upcoming individual also revealed that the team had no physiotherapist present, forcing them to manage injuries on their own. Several members of the mixed team squad are now nursing injuries, raising concerns about India's chances in the individual controversy at the World University Games not only exposed alarming lapses in team management but also raised serious questions about athlete welfare and accountability within Indian sports administration. As young players face threats to their careers for speaking out, the episode underscores the urgent need for systemic reform and independent oversight to ensure that such negligence and intimidation are not repeated.- EndsTrending Reel
Hans India
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Six Indian shuttlers barred from World University Games
New Delhi: The Indian badminton squad that won the mixed team bronze medal at the ongoing World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany has been hit by a controversy over selection after six of the 12 chosen players were barred from participating due to an alleged administrative lapse. Twelve players were selected and sent to represent India, but only six were allowed to compete as officials failed to submit all names correctly during the managers' meeting on July 16. 'This is not just mismanagement – it's career sabotage. We demand answers, accountability, and that our voices be heard. We didn't lose a match – we lost our right to even participate,' wrote Alisha Khan, one of the players left out, on Instagram. 'This isn't just a mistake. It's career sabotage by AIU and our team officials. We demand justice.' According to sources, BV Rao and Ajit Mohan were the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) officials who attended the meeting. The AIU, which is the nodal body for university-level sports in the country, acknowledged the incident. 'We have been informed about this and the matter is being investigated,' AIU Secretary Dr Pankaj Mittal told PTI while refusing to comment any further. According to a source, the issue was not just an error but stemmed from 'systematic irregularities' starting from the selection trials held at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar.
India Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- India Today
6 Indian badminton players out of World University Games over administrative lapse
The Indian badminton squad that won the mixed team bronze medal at the ongoing World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany has been hit by a controversy over selection after six of the 12 chosen players were barred from participating due to an alleged administrative players were selected and sent to represent India, but only six were allowed to compete as officials failed to submit all names correctly during the managers' meeting on July 16."This is not just mismanagement – it's career sabotage. We demand answers, accountability, and that our voices be heard. We didn't lose a match – we lost our right to even participate," wrote Alisha Khan, one of the players left out, on Instagram."This isn't just a mistake. It's career sabotage by AIU and our team officials. We demand justice."According to sources, BV Rao and Ajit Mohan were the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) officials who attended the meeting. The AIU, which is the nodal body for university-level sports in the country, acknowledged the incident."We have been informed about this and the matter is being investigated," AIU Secretary Dr Pankaj Mittal told PTI while refusing to comment any to a source, the issue was not just an error but stemmed from "systematic irregularities" starting from the selection trials held at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar."During the managers' meeting, officials were given a letter listing all 12 players from India. It was their responsibility to read it carefully, check for missing or injured players, and confirm or adjust the names accordingly. However, they took it lightly," the source said."The names of players who hadn't attended trials were there. They came here only to enjoy. In the meeting, they also made a basic mistake. They were supposed to declare which player would play singles, doubles, and mixed, but didn't process it properly."Saneeth Dayanand, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, Devika Sihag, Tasnim Mir, Varshini Viswanath Sri, and Vaishnavi Khadkekar were the six who competed in the mixed team defeated Macau but lost to Hong Kong in the group stage, then beat the USA in the round of 16 and Malaysia in the quarterfinals before losing to Chinese Taipei in the Kumar, Darshan Pujari, Aditi Bhatt, Abhinash Mohanty, Viraj Kuvale, and Alisha Khan were part of the 12-member squad but did not get to has written to the Badminton Association of India (BAI), demanding a thorough investigation.'This level of mismanagement has caused significant emotional distress to the affected athletes. The players who were left out of the nomination list have been unfairly denied the chance to contribute on the field and be acknowledged as part of this achievement,' he wrote in his email.'To date, there has been no accountability or concrete explanation provided by the managers. A mere apology cannot suffice at this level of international representation, where the careers, dreams, and morale of athletes are at stake.'Through this email, I respectfully urge the concerned authorities to take this matter seriously, conduct a thorough review, and ensure that such avoidable and damaging incidents are never repeated in the future.'Expressing frustration over the incident and apathy of the Indian officials, a player said, "It's a historic achievement that our team won a bronze with just six players, but that certificate and medal will change their lives, not ours, when we were supposed to be there as a team.'The frustrating thing is the officials don't even admit their mistakes or show any remorse," he said on condition of anonymity.'The AIU can at least issue certificates acknowledging all 12 as team members to protect our career prospects and rights.'The selection trials were held in April at KIIT, Bhubaneswar, with over 210 players, including top-tier national and international university athletes, the source alleged that the players who actually topped the trials were left out of the mixed team event despite being part of the squad.'The team manager made the blunder. The officials didn't focus during the meeting, and after the trials they didn't follow the proper process. They just submitted six names, so the other six were not allowed by FISU,' the source said.'...the team travelled all the way, and yet in the manager's meeting they missed out names. I don't know how it is possible to overlook such a basic responsibility.'Players have been misled throughout... officials are giving them false hopes about participation and medals in individual events. If the players are robbed of their chance like this, it is unacceptable.'A player also alleged that officials goofed up on the team jerseys which "didn't carry the country's name properly", leading to fine.- EndsMust Watch advertisement
NDTV
21-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Six Indian Badminton Players Barred From World University Games. Reason...
The Indian badminton squad that won the mixed team bronze medal at the ongoing World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany has been hit by a controversy over selection after six of the 12 chosen players were barred from participating due to an alleged administrative lapse. Twelve players were selected and sent to represent India, but only six were allowed to compete as officials failed to submit all names correctly during the managers' meeting on July 16. "This is not just mismanagement – it's career sabotage. We demand answers, accountability, and that our voices be heard. We didn't lose a match – we lost our right to even participate," wrote Alisha Khan, one of the players left out, on Instagram. "This isn't just a mistake. It's career sabotage by AIU and our team officials. We demand justice." According to sources, BV Rao and Ajit Mohan were the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) officials who attended the meeting. The AIU, which is the nodal body for university-level sports in the country, acknowledged the incident. "We have been informed about this and the matter is being investigated," AIU Secretary Dr Pankaj Mittal told PTI while refusing to comment any further. According to a source, the issue was not just an error but stemmed from "systematic irregularities" starting from the selection trials held at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar. "During the managers' meeting, officials were given a letter listing all 12 players from India. It was their responsibility to read it carefully, check for missing or injured players, and confirm or adjust the names accordingly. However, they took it lightly," the source said. "The names of players who hadn't attended trials were there. They came here only to enjoy. In the meeting, they also made a basic mistake. They were supposed to declare which player would play singles, doubles, and mixed, but didn't process it properly." Saneeth Dayanand, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran, Devika Sihag, Tasnim Mir, Varshini Viswanath Sri, and Vaishnavi Khadkekar were the six who competed in the mixed team event. India defeated Macau but lost to Hong Kong in the group stage, then beat the USA in the round of 16 and Malaysia in the quarterfinals before losing to Chinese Taipei in the semifinals. Rohan Kumar, Darshan Pujari, Aditi Bhatt, Abhinash Mohanty, Viraj Kuvale, and Alisha Khan were part of the 12-member squad but did not get to play. "The team manager made the blunder. The officials didn't focus during the meeting, and after the trials they didn't follow the proper process. They just submitted six names, so the other six were not allowed by FISU," the source said. "I don't know whether to call it a technical error or sheer misfortune. Entries were mailed, confirmations received, the team travelled all the way, and yet in the manager's meeting they missed out names. I don't know how it is possible to overlook such a basic responsibility," he added. He alleged that the players were again being misled with the promise of participation in individual events starting on Tuesday. "Players have been misled throughout. Now that they couldn't stand on the podium, officials are giving them false hopes about participation and medals in the individual events. "The players worked really hard and if they are robbed of their chance like this, it is unacceptable." The selection trials were held in April at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, with over 210 players, including top-tier national and international university athletes, participating. However, the source alleged that players who actually topped the trials were left out of the mixed team event despite being part of the squad. "It is a historic achievement that our team won a bronze with just six players, but that certificate and medal will change their lives, not ours, when we were supposed to be there as a team. "The frustrating thing is the officials don't even admit their mistakes or show any remorse," said another player on condition of anonymity. "The AIU can at least issue certificates acknowledging all 12 as team members to protect our career prospects and rights." A player also alleged that officials goofed up the team jerseys, leading to a fine. "They printed full names instead of surnames, and the jerseys didn't carry the country name properly. The team was fined 1000 euros per match for incorrect jerseys. Only from the semifinals onwards did we get proper jerseys sent from India," the player said. "There wasn't even a proper coach. Players were sitting court-side coaching each other during matches."
