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India Today
14 hours ago
- 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
United News of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
India win historic Badminton medal at FISU Games
Rhine-Ruhr (Germany), July 20 (UNI) India's mixed badminton team etched its name in the history books by clinching a first-ever medal in the sport at the FISU World University Games, securing a bronze today at the 2025 edition in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. This marks the first time India have made the podium in badminton since the sport was introduced to the World University Games programme in 2007. India confirmed their bronze after a spirited 3-2 victory over Malaysia in the quarterfinals. As per tournament rules, both losing semifinalists were awarded bronze medals. The medal also became India's first at the ongoing Games. In the semifinal clash against Chinese Taipei, India put up a valiant fight. Sathish Kumar Karunakaran opened the tie in men's singles but lost a hard-fought battle 1-2 (15-13, 13-15, 10-15) to Su Li Yang. Devika Sihag brought India level with a commanding 2-0 (15-10, 15-10) win in the women's singles over Huang Ching Ping. The momentum, however, swung back as the men's doubles pair of Saneeth Dayanand and Karunakaran went down 0-2 (8-15, 13-15) to Chen Zhi-ray and Lin Yu Chieh. Tasnim Mir and Varshini Viswanath Sri then lost the women's doubles in straight games (3-15, 8-15) to Hsu Yin-Hui and Yang Chu Yun, sealing the tie for Chinese Taipei. The final mixed doubles match was not played. Earlier in the competition, India defeated the USA 3-1 in the round of 16, blanked Macau China 5-0, and narrowly lost 2-3 to Hong Kong China in the group stage. With this bronze, India are placed joint 29th in the medals tally with one medal. Over 300 Indian athletes are participating at the Rhine-Ruhr Games, including Paris 2024 Olympian Jeswin Aldrin and Asian Games medal-winners Ancy Sojan and Praveen Chithravel. The 32nd edition of the FISU World University Games, running from July 16 to 27, features competition in 18 sports. India's best-ever showing came at Chengdu 2023, where the country finished seventh overall with 26 medals, including 11 golds — eight of which came from shooting. UNI BDN GNK
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Malaysia fall short against India in WUG mixed team quarter-final thriller
MULHEIM AN DER RUHR (Germany): The national badminton squad came up short in their quest to repeat last edition's success, falling 2-3 to India in a tense mixed team quarter-final clash at the 2025 World University Games (WUG) in Rhine-Ruhr late Saturday night (early today, Malaysian time). Malaysia's hopes of drawing first blood were dashed when the mixed doubles pair of Wee Yee Hern-Clarissa San went down 9-15, 15-11, 11-15 to Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Vaishnavi Khadkekar. Men's singles shuttler Jacky Kok Jing Hong levelled the tie with a gritty comeback win over Saneeth Dayanand, 9-15, 15-13, 15-11. India regained the lead through women's singles player Devika Shag, who edged Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi Tan 15-5, 8-15, 15-12 in a hard-fought duel. Malaysia kept their hopes alive when the men's doubles duo Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Muhammad Fazri Mohamad Razif cruised past Saneeth-Sathish Kumar 15-8, 15-6 to bring the tie to a thrilling decider. However, India sealed their place in the semi-finals after women's doubles pair Tasnim Mir and Varshini Viswanath Sri staged a gutsy comeback to defeat Lee Xin Jie and Low Yeen Yuan 9-15, 15-13, 15-13 in the deciding rubber. The win sends India through to the semi-finals, where they will take on Taiwan, while China is set to face South Korea in the other last-four showdown. Malaysia's campaign now shifts focus to the individual events, set to begin on July 22. Malaysia bagged two bronze medals at the previous edition in Chengdu, one in the mixed team event and another in men's doubles. – BERNAMA
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Malaysia falls short against India in WUG mixed team quarterfinal thriller
MULHEIM AN DER RUHR: The national badminton squad came up short in their quest to repeat last edition's success, falling 2-3 to India in a tense mixed team quarterfinal clash at the 2025 World University Games (WUG) in Rhine-Ruhr late Saturday night (early Sunday, Malaysian time). Malaysia's hopes of drawing first blood were dashed when the mixed doubles pair of Wee Yee Hern-Clarissa San went down 9-15, 15-11, 11-15 to Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Vaishnavi Khadkekar. Men's singles shuttler Jacky Kok Jing Hong levelled the tie with a gritty comeback win over Saneeth Dayanand, 9-15, 15-13, 15-11. India regained the lead through women's singles player Devika Shag, who edged Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi Tan 15-5, 8-15, 15-12 in a hard-fought duel. Malaysia kept their hopes alive when the men's doubles duo Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Muhammad Fazri Mohamad Razif cruised past Saneeth-Sathish Kumar 15-8, 15-6 to bring the tie to a thrilling decider. However, India sealed their place in the semifinals after women's doubles pair Tasnim Mir and Varshini Viswanath Sri staged a gutsy comeback to defeat Lee Xin Jie and Low Yeen Yuan 9-15, 15-13, 15-13 in the deciding rubber. The win sends India through to the semifinals, where they will take on Taiwan, while China is set to face South Korea in the other last-four showdown. Malaysia's campaign now shifts focus to the individual events, set to begin on July 22. Malaysia bagged two bronze medals at the previous edition in Chengdu, one in the mixed team event and another in men's doubles - BERNAMA
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Malaysia falls to India in WUG badminton quarterfinals thriller
MULHEIM AN DER RUHR: The national badminton squad came up short in their quest to repeat last edition's success, falling 2-3 to India in a tense mixed team quarterfinal clash at the 2025 World University Games (WUG) in Rhine-Ruhr late Saturday night (early Sunday, Malaysian time). Malaysia's hopes of drawing first blood were dashed when the mixed doubles pair of Wee Yee Hern-Clarissa San went down 9-15, 15-11, 11-15 to Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Vaishnavi Khadkekar. Men's singles shuttler Jacky Kok Jing Hong levelled the tie with a gritty comeback win over Saneeth Dayanand, 9-15, 15-13, 15-11. India regained the lead through women's singles player Devika Shag, who edged Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi Tan 15-5, 8-15, 15-12 in a hard-fought duel. Malaysia kept their hopes alive when the men's doubles duo Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Muhammad Fazri Mohamad Razif cruised past Saneeth-Sathish Kumar 15-8, 15-6 to bring the tie to a thrilling decider. However, India sealed their place in the semifinals after women's doubles pair Tasnim Mir and Varshini Viswanath Sri staged a gutsy comeback to defeat Lee Xin Jie and Low Yeen Yuan 9-15, 15-13, 15-13 in the deciding rubber. The win sends India through to the semifinals, where they will take on Taiwan, while China is set to face South Korea in the other last-four showdown. Malaysia's campaign now shifts focus to the individual events, set to begin on July 22. Malaysia bagged two bronze medals at the previous edition in Chengdu, one in the mixed team event and another in men's doubles - BERNAMA
