(Left to right): Ayush Shetty and Anmol Kharb are part of TOPS Development Group.
\n\nGovernment support, including funding and access to support staff, is a necessity for India's athletes, not a luxury. Equally important is a assessment of how public money is spent and whether the investment translates into medals.
\n\nThe recent saga of Indian badminton players competing in the European leg of the BWF World Tour without funding support from the Sports Ministry is a case in point. The players suffered because of an administrative lapse between the Badminton Association of India (BAI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), with the latter alleging that BAI had failed to submit the funding proposal at least 30 days before the Arctic Open. BAI sources told Times Now that SAI had not renewed their funding after the Asian Games, despite the association having sought financial support a year in advance, in December 2025.
\n\nThe issue came to light after star shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen clinched the women's and men's singles titles at the Hylo Open in Germany. Both managed their own expenses – travelling and accommodation, and were relatively unaffected by the withdrawal of funding.
\n\nWith private financial support…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
