Prakash Padukone Criticises Indian Shuttlers Following Lakshya Sen’s Loss At Paris 2024, Urges Players to Take Responsibility

Prakash Padukone criticized the Indian badminton team's performance at the Paris Olympics 2024, where they failed to win a medal, asked the players to take more responsibility.

Prakash Padukone, former badminton player for India, was candid in his assessment of the shuttlers' performance at the Paris Olympics 2024. India's badminton team, including Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Ashwini Ponappa-Tanisha Crasto, will return from Paris without a medal. The country's hopes in the sport concluded with 22-year-old Lakshya Sen's loss in the men's singles bronze medal match against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia.

Padukone, who accompanied Lakshya throughout the Olympics campaign along with coach U. Vimal Kumar, expressed frustration with the Indian badminton contingent's performance in Paris.  

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Padukone Urges Players To Take More Responsibility

He stressed that after numerous fourth-place finishes since Milkha Singh in 1964 and PT Usha in the 1980s, it is crucial for players to take responsibility for their performances.

“After Milkha Singh in 64′ and PT Usha in the 80s, we have so many fourth place finishes. I think that it’s high time that the players also take responsibility. Atleast for the results in this Olympics and the previous one, you cannot hold the federations and government responsible for the results. They have all done whatever they can. Ultimately the responsibility is on the players to go and deliver when it matters the most,” he said while speaking to the reporters.

Padukone Highlights Need For Players To Self-Evaluate Despite Abundant Resources

Padukone urged players to self-reflect and evaluate their own efforts, rather than continuously demanding more from federations. He pointed out that players have ample resources and facilities, which might surpass those available in other countries, including the US.

"The players need to introspect, and not just keep asking for more from the federations. They need to ask themselves whether they are working hard enough because all of these players have their own physios and all the facilities. I don’t think any other country, including the US, has so many facilities," the former India shuttler added.

Lakshya Sen reached the bronze medal match, but PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, was eliminated in the Round of 16. The men's doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost in the quarter-finals, HS Prannoy was defeated by Lakshya Sen in the Round of 16, and the women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponappa and Tanisha Crasto exited without winning a match.