Indian badminton players paid their own costs on a four-event European tour covering Finland, Denmark, France and Germany. A Sports Authority of India official said the Badminton Association of India did not submit its funding proposal on time. Federations must now send proposals with player names at least 30 days before each tournament.
What Sindhu said
Replying to a journalist's post on X, Sindhu wrote: "Mr. Kannan, with all due respect, I don't think your tweet fully captures the reality of professional badminton." She added: "But what about the 18-year-old chasing her dreams, hoping to become the next Sindhu or Lakshya?" and said "supporting athletes isn't bleeding the system. It's investing in India's sporting future." She also said, "Accountability is absolutely necessary."
She pointed to the gap in prize money: a first-round loss at Wimbledon pays £80,000, while winning the China Open in badminton pays $140,000 and a first-round loss there pays $2,000. Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) supported her on the tour.
A title on the same tour
On Sunday, November 1, Sindhu won the Hylo Open in Saarbrücken, Germany, beating Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-12, 21-14 in 39 minutes. Her father PV Ramana called the row "just a miscommunication on the part of the association." India.com reports that funding for future events has been restored but past costs will not be repaid. BAI had not responded at the time of writing.
