A controversy has erupted within the Indian badminton contingent at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, after six of the twelve selected players were barred from participating due to an administrative lapse. This incident has sparked outrage, with affected players alleging "career sabotage" and demanding accountability from officials.
The issue arose during the manager's meeting on July 16th, where officials failed to correctly submit the names of all twelve players. As a result, only half of the Indian badminton squad was able to compete in the games. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU), the nodal body for university-level sports in India, has acknowledged the incident and has initiated an investigation. According to sources, B.V. Rao and Ajit Mohan were the AIU officials present at the meeting. Dr. Pankaj Mittal, the AIU Secretary, has refrained from making further comments.
Alisha Khan, one of the excluded players, voiced her frustration on Instagram, stating, "This is not just mismanagement – it's career sabotage. We demand answers, accountability, and that our voices be heard. We didn't lose a match – we lost our right to even participate". She further added, "This isn't just a mistake. It's career sabotage by AIU and our team officials. We demand justice".
Sources suggest that the problem goes beyond a simple error and may be rooted in "systematic irregularities" that began during the selection trials held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar. The selection trials in April saw participation from over 210 players, including national and international university athletes. Allegedly, some players who topped the trials were excluded from the mixed team event, despite being part of the squad.
Adding to the players' distress, there are allegations that they were misled with promises of participation in individual events after being excluded from the team events. A source stated, "Players have been misled throughout. Now that they couldn't stand on the podium, officials are giving them false hopes about participation and medals in the individual events. The players worked really hard and if they are robbed of their chance like this, it is unacceptable".
Despite the controversy, the Indian mixed badminton team managed to secure a bronze medal at the World University Games. However, the achievement is overshadowed by the selection controversy and the impact it has had on the affected players. The players are demanding answers and accountability, seeking assurance that such incidents will not occur in the future.
