The Olympics is truly special, but should BWF have done more to help badminton players?

The Olympics is a very special event, to say the least. I’d even say that for me, it is the biggest tournament of the entire sporting world.

That it takes place once every four years only adds to its aura. And from an Indian perspective, the fact that we win so few medals adds to the importance of the event for us.

For each and every athlete taking part in the Games, there is a real desire to succeed and bring honor to the country. The hope of bringing medals back home acts as a real motivator, and it has a percolative effect.

Every time an athlete succeeds, it’s not just India’s medals’ tally that gets a boost; the country’s mood collectively improves too.

The Olympics is the athlete’s biggest chance to contribute to the nation. And that is what makes it a true standout event for anyone lucky enough to qualify.

The importance of Olympics for badminton players is particularly strong. Sure, there are other major tournaments in the sport, such as the Super Series (10 of which take place every year) and the World Championships (held each year). But unlike these annual events, you get a chance to shine at the Olympics only once every four years.

For badminton stars, the Olympics is the Holy Grail.

Needless to say, the competition in the badminton event at the Games is extremely tough too. Winning an Olympic medal is special not just because of the stage it provides, but also because of just how darned difficult it is.

Olympics and the COVID-19 conundrum

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted badminton players big time. I myself suffered a setback on the personal front because of the global crisis. About 4-5 tournaments which I needed to participate in (to get the requisite points for Olympic qualification) were canceled, and I was left in the lurch.

There are many others who were affected in a similar manner. Saina Nehwal is a prime example, and there is another player from Hong Kong who faced a similar predicament.

I feel the Badminton World Federation should have been more proactive and taken some precautionary steps during this unforeseen crisis. It wasn’t just one or two players who were hit by the cancellation of tournaments; there were about three or four from every country.

India’s badminton hopes in Tokyo

PV Sindhu won a silver at the Rio 2016 Games, and she has a great chance of going one step further and clinching the gold this time.

In fact, all the qualified players have done well and won tournaments, so the contingent is pretty strong. That said, the competition will be tough.

Doing well on the given day is paramount, and there are some who have already started stepping up to the plate emphatically. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have beaten world no 3 pair of Yang Lee and Chi-Lin Wang on Day 2, have a very good chance of reaching the quarterfinals.

The hope is that the others follow their example and put up strong showings too.

Who is likely to make it to the men's singles semis?

If I consider the three or four tournaments that have taken place this year and the way the players performed there, I feel Victor Axelsen, Anders Antonsen, Kento Momota, Lee Zii Jia, Chou Tien Chen and maybe Anthony Sinisuka Ginting have a great chance of making it to the semifinals.

Message for the Indian athletes taking part in Tokyo

Each and every athlete has worked really hard to get to the Olympics. All I want to tell them is they should try to give their best, and the rest will take care of itself.

I wish all the Indian athletes the very best of luck. And I hope we win a lot of medals this year!