Asian Para Games star seeks action against former coach over public medal predictions

Indian Paralympic badminton champion Pramod Bhagat has called on the 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 shared a post on social media a day before the finale and predicted it The Indian para badminton contingent would win fewer medals than they had at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou. The post was subsequently deleted.

He predicted the number of 16 medals, including two gold, six silver and eight bronze. India eventually equaled the total but finished with three gold, five silver and eight bronze medals, one more gold than Khanna had predicted.

BHAGAT ISSUES OF ETHICS

Bhagat criticized Khanna’s decision to publish his predictions before the end of the tournament and questioned the professional ethics behind the move.

“Publicly predicting medals by naming athletes a day before the conclusion of a prestigious tournament like the Asian Para Games is extremely unprofessional and ethically wrong, especially when the person doing so identifies himself as the head coach. Such action raises serious questions about professional responsibility and impartiality,” Bhagat told PTI.

He added that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) traditionally announces the total medal tally of the contingent after the tournament ends, allowing athletes to compete without preconceived expectations about the outcome.

Bhagat also said that the episode had drawn the attention of 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 charges have competed at the highest level.

PLAYERS ARE LOOKING FOR ACTION

Bhagat urged the BAI, sports authority of India (SAI) and other concerned authorities to investigate the matter and lay down clear guidelines to prevent such incidents.

Earlier on Tuesday, the players filed a complaint against Khanna with the Sports Ministry, SAI and BAI president and general secretary. They requested a formal investigation and appropriate disciplinary action against the former coach.

India para badminton chairman K Prabhakar Rao also criticized Khanna’s post, saying it had put athletes under psychological pressure. He said he would bring the matter to the notice of the BAI and seek appropriate action.

PREDICTIONS UNDER FIRE

Bhagat, a six-time world champion, was among the players whose performances Khanna predicted. The former coach predicted silver for Bhagat in the SL3 men’s singles final, where the Indian eventually finished second after losing to Nitesh Kumar at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

Bhagat said publicly predicting match results could put athletes under unnecessary pressure and affect how their performances are perceived.

“In my case, I was predicted to win silver in the men’s singles SL3 final, which I ended up losing to Nitesh Kumar. Every match is different and no outcome is certain until the last 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 maintained a positive mindset throughout the tournament and that the athletes should have been able to approach the final day without further distractions.

Bhagat also questioned the decision to publicly predict the outcome of a final involving two Indian players, stressing the importance of neutrality in such competitions.

He pointed to the long-standing 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 integrity and professional conduct, especially when athletes are competing for major international awards.

Player complaints and calls for an official review have focused on the need for clearer guidelines governing public statements about athletes’ performance expectations during major competitions.

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