We're treated like second-class citizens: Paralympic champ slams BAI

'We have won 21 medals at the Asian Para Games, around 14-15 medals at the World Championships, and 5 medals at the Paralympics, but we don't receive basic appreciation from BAI'

Frustrated with the lack of recognition and administrative wrangling within the Badminton Association of India (BAI), Paralympic champion Kumar Nitesh has called for para badminton to be transferred under the aegis of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for the sport's betterment and progress.

The 29-year-old from Haryana, who secured a historic gold medal in the SL3 class at the Paris Paralympics, said para shuttlers needed to be treated on par with their able-bodied counterparts.

"We have won 21 medals at the Asian Para Games, around 14-15 medals at the World Championships, and 5 medals at the Paralympics, but we don't receive basic appreciation from BAI," Kumar told PTI.

"This isn't a new issue; it's a recurring problem. Their attention remains solely on able-bodied athletes, with minimal effort to promote para badminton."

Kumar also expressed his dissatisfaction on social media after BAI congratulated the para shuttlers on their Paris performance via Twitter.

"Despite the occasional social media appreciation from @BAI_Media, we, the athletes, are highly dissatisfied with BAI's lack of interest in para badminton.

"We sincerely request @Media_SAI and BAI to hand over para badminton to PCI, which has a better track record of supporting para sports,” Kumar wrote.

Kumar, an IIT Mandi alumnus, outlined several administrative issues affecting para shuttlers.

"There are significant administrative delays and inefficiencies. Often, only 1 or 2 people manage everything, and it's kind of too much for them, they sometimes miss things.

"Few players, their entries were missed for the international tournaments at times, saying that their entry went to spam folder. We get things very late. There were a lot of times we are kept waiting at the airport. We don't have transport from the local organizer because the payments were not done on time," he cited various logistical issues that they face from time to time.

"The hotel rooms were not booked on time. We get flights at the last moment. These issues were particularly stressful during the qualification period, but now that we have some free time, we hope to address them."

Kumar, who lost his left leg in a train accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009, emphasized the importance of resolving these issues to ensure better support for players in the future.

"We raised our concerns with the sports minister recently, and he assured us that he will look into the matter."

Currently, athletics, shooting, and powerlifting are managed by PCI, while other para sports like badminton, archery, and table tennis fall under the respective national able-bodied federations such as BAI, AAI, and TTFI.

"First and foremost, we need a proper administration team. Currently, all responsibilities often fall on one person, which at times gets overwhelming. With a dedicated team, tasks can be distributed effectively and managed more efficiently," Kumar continued.

"Additionally, establishing a clear communication channel is crucial. We need to know exactly whom to approach with concerns.

"Furthermore, the selection procedures are typically handled by a small group, without sufficient input from the players themselves. Involving experienced players in the process could provide valuable perspectives and improve decision-making."