As is now becoming the norm, the headlines coming out of events hosted by India aren’t always positive. If it was about dogs biting international delegates during the Para World Athletics Championships last September, it is now about bird droppings and more at the ongoing India Open badminton tournament in Delhi. With India poised to host the Commonwealth Games (2030) and, possibly, the Olympics in 2036, not to mention the Badminton World Championships later this year, these organisational gaps do not leave a good impression of us as hosts. Frankly, these are the finer points we have always struggled with. While we do 95 per cent well, the last five per cent is always an issue. The BAI would do well to focus more on these aspects ahead of the August mega event and get things right.
While it is true that such things should not happen, it is equally true that issues arise at events across the world, and we are all aware of it. Yet, when it comes to India, the focus is almost always on the negative rather than the positive. During the 2016 Rio Olympics, for example, I remember the archery venue shutting its convenience store around noon due to a lack of staff, which meant there was no water to buy on what was a searingly hot day.
In Doha, Qatar, during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the media bus driver had no idea how to get back from the Al Khor Stadium, and the bus kept circling until 3 am. In England last summer, the food at some venues during the India–England Test matches was pathetic, to say the least.
And yet, you adjust, make do, and move on. While no one is suggesting such things should happen, the truth is they do not necessarily need to become the headline. For me, Lakshya Sen’s win or Satwik–Chirag’s shock loss was the headline from yesterday, rather than Loh Kean Yew’s complaint. In Paris, for example, many athletes feared the heat would prevent them from competing in some events during the 2024 Olympics. Yet everything fell into place in the end. Despite the security scare and transport nightmares — including trains not functioning properly on the opening ceremony day — the world hailed the Games and praised Paris for doing a decent job.
Somewhere, I still sense a degree of discrimination — a kind of apathy that is hard to deal with. India will indeed want to improve for the World Championships, and it will. The BAI should leave no stone unturned in doing so. But not all is bad. As Satwik said during the mixed-zone interaction, “I don’t know about others, but I liked playing in the stadium.” Srikkanth echoed the same sentiment, and Kunlavut Vitidsarn also voiced his support. Most importantly, the BWF has stood behind India and issued a statement.
The situation isn’t perfect. But the truth is nothing ever is. With what is going on in Venezuela, does one expect the FIFA World Cup to be perfect? Can it be? Does it mean everything will be negative? Simply put, let’s put corrective measures in place and move on. Far more important is trying to understand why Indian stars are lacking consistency and failing to close out matches from winning positions.
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