Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 8: Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen was advised to accept the withdrawal of government funding for four European tournaments and prove his ability by winning titles, despite the decision being considered arbitrary.

Coach Vimal Kumar reportedly gave Sen the blunt advice after the Sports Authority of India (SAI) withheld financial support for the Arctic Open, Denmark Open, French Open and Hylo Open. All four are Super 500 or higher-level tournaments considered important for players seeking to improve their world rankings.

Kumar told the champion shuttler to accept that he had not won a medal at the Asian Games, arrange funding for himself and demonstrate his ability by winning titles on the international circuit.

Financial support is considered crucial for Indian badminton players competing against leading nations such as China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia. Unlike professional sports such as tennis, badminton offers relatively modest prize money, making government assistance important for players to participate in major international tournaments.

Tour performances and titles also have a direct bearing on world rankings, which influence qualification for major team competitions, including the Olympics, Asian Games, Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup.

The importance of consistent funding has been highlighted by the achievements of Indian players. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand recently won a women's doubles medal at the World Championships held in India, while four Indian players reached the quarterfinals at the Asian Games.

The funding issue has also raised concerns because two of those quarterfinalists reportedly lost financial support after slipping outside the strict ranking criteria prescribed for badminton players.

The situation has brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by Indian shuttlers in maintaining international competitiveness, particularly when participation in high-level tournaments is essential for improving rankings and securing places in major global competitions.