Badminton
Don't make your child a sportsperson, says P Gopichand
The badminton coach said that only a small percentage of people end up having a career in sport.
Sports instills fundamental life lessons such as resilience in the face of defeat, the ability to bounce back from setbacks, discipline, perseverance, and hard work. (Photo credit: The Bridge)
National badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, the force behind many Indian shuttlers’ success story, believes sports in the country is only for the rich.
The former All England champion has warned parents from encouraging youngsters from taking up sport as a profession.
'Not advisable for children'
“I advise parents not to put their children in sports. We are not in a position to offer sports as a career. Unless the children are from rich backgrounds or have a family business, it is not advisable for children to take up sport,” the Dronacharya awardee was quoted as saying by TOI.
What irks Gopichand is the conduct of the society towards the country's medal-winning athletes. He cited the examples of hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, who despite winning silver at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, struggled to find a job.
Similarly, he shared the example of how hockey stars like Dhanraj Pillay and Mukesh Kumar and shooter Vijay Kumar have been treated despite bringing glory for the nation.
“The reality of sport is that less than 1% of people who take up sport end up having it as a profession or career. In sports like cricket, this number could be marginally better, but in essence sport would mean that a very small percentage of them make it. Where do we end up? What are the returns of the people who have made it?” he questioned.
Benefits confined to elite
Cash incentives for medal winners, entry of corporates, TOPs scheme has made sports very lucrative for the young athletes, but the benefits are confined to the elite athletes. According to Gopichand, an average athlete lasts until 30 and that very few end up taking up sports as a career.
“An Olympic medallist working with Railways will always be at the mercy of his/her senior officer. Think of what has happened to hundreds of athletes who have won laurels for the country in the last 20 years. Where are they today? What is their future? What is their earning capacity?”
“Is this the right kind of reward they deserve? If this is the case, how can we encourage our children to take up sport?” he questioned.
He, however, insisted on creating a safety net around Indian athletes by evolving their skills.
“To survive, these sportspersons also need other skills. Motivation to do something different once they retire. Often, just the motivation is missing,” he said.
