Funding Cuts in Indian Badminton Linked to BAIs Proposal Delays

New Delhi, November 3 (Daily Kiran) : Concerns over funding cuts for Indian badminton, involving stars like P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, have emerged following recent performances. However, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) clarified that the cuts are not due to the team's lack of medals at the Asian Games in Japan. Instead, the issue stems from the Badminton Association of India (BAI) failing to submit their proposal within the required 30-day deadline.

SAI officials stated that BAI did not adhere to the timeline for proposal submissions. “The federation must start acting responsibly,” an SAI source remarked. Sindhu and Sen recently triumphed at the BWF World Tour Super 500 event, the Hylo Open 2026, held in Saarlandhalle, Germany. This marked the first instance in four years where two Indian players claimed titles at a single BWF World Tour event at the Super 500 level or higher. Reports indicate that SAI has denied funding for the Indian team's European leg, which includes consecutive tournaments in Finland, Denmark, France, and Germany.

Players were informed of this decision just days before the Arctic Open began in Vantaa, Finland, on October 6. SAI explained that the delay in funding was due to BAI's failure to meet the deadline, which placed the onus of timely proposal submission and accountability on the federation. An SAI official elaborated, “Previously, the federation was required to submit proposals without names 90 days in advance and with names 60 days before the events. This was to allow adequate trip planning.

However, the federation requested a change, so we adjusted the deadline to 30 days. Yet, we still did not receive a proposal.” The funding shortfall has also meant that some athletes had to compete without their coaches. Ashmita Chaliha, for instance, defeated Akane Yamaguchi at the French Open but was accompanied only by fellow Indian player Isharani Barua. Similarly, Tanvi Sharma reached the quarter-finals in Denmark without a coach to guide her during the match.