Paralympic Champion Blasts Indian Badminton Body, Accuses it of Inefficiency

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Frustrated by the lack of recognition and persistent administrative hurdles, Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar has openly criticized the Badminton Association of India (BAI), calling for para-badminton to be managed by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

Nitesh, who clinched a gold medal in the SL3 class at the Paris Paralympics, believes that para shuttlers deserve the same treatment as their able-bodied counterparts.

In an interview, the 29-year-old from Haryana voiced his concerns, stating, "We have won 21 medals at the Asian Para Games, around 14-15 medals at the World Championships, and 5 medals at the Paralympics, but we don't receive basic appreciation from BAI. "This isn't a new issue; it's a recurring problem. Their attention remains solely on able-bodied athletes, with minimal effort to promote para badminton."

Nitesh Kumar also took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction, responding to a congratulatory tweet from BAI after the Paris Paralympics.

"Despite the occasional social media appreciation from @BAI_Media, we, the athletes, are highly dissatisfied with BAI's lack of interest in para badminton. We sincerely request @Media_SAI and BAI to hand over para badminton to PCI, which has a better track record of supporting para sports," Nitesh tweeted.

The IIT Mandi alumnus detailed several administrative and logistical challenges that para shuttlers frequently encounter. He highlighted delays in tournament entries, citing instances where athlete submissions were missed because emails went to spam folders. "There are significant administrative delays and inefficiencies. Often, only 1 or 2 people manage everything, and it's kind of too much for them, they sometimes miss things."

Nitesh shared more troubling examples, such as athletes being left stranded at airports due to unpaid transportation fees and last-minute flight bookings. "The hotel rooms were not booked on time. We get flights at the last moment. These issues were particularly stressful during the qualification period, but now that we have some free time, we hope to address them," he added.

Having lost his left leg in a 2009 train accident, Nitesh emphasized the need for urgent changes to better support para athletes. He revealed that a recent meeting with the sports minister offered some hope, as the minister promised to look into the matter.

While athletics, shooting, and powerlifting fall under PCI's management, para sports like badminton, archery, and table tennis are currently overseen by their respective able-bodied federations. Nitesh's plea calls for a shift to ensure para athletes receive the recognition and support they deserve.