Marin can’t believe the riches Sindhu got for her Oly medal

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 10

Indian badminton sensation PV Sindhu was showered with more than Rs 13 crore in cash awards by different state governments and government institutions after her historic Olympics silver medal at Rio. Apart from the cash bonanza, the 21-year-old from Hyderabad received land from both the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments and a luxury car presented by cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on behalf of Hyderabad Badminton Association’s president, V Chamundeswaranath. She also reportedly signed endorsement deals of Rs 50 crore for three years from various companies.

Compare these figures with that of what reigning Olympics champion and world No. 2 Carolina Marin earned in cash awards, and you would be amazed.

Marin had defeated Sindhu in the final at the Rio Games to become the first non-Asian woman to win the Olympics gold in the badminton singles event. For her achievement, the Spanish government rewarded her with ^94,000 (approx Rs 70 lakh). Marin said she was astonished to hear about the money Sindhu received, adding that so much money would have “changed my life completely”.

“I heard she (Sindhu) got millions. That’s huge. I, too, got some cash award from the Spanish government,” said Marin, who is in Delhi to represent Hyderabad Hunters in the Premier Badminton League (PBL).

Marin’s coach Fernando Rivas said it’s “amazing” to see India showering so much money on its Olympics champions. “It’s totally different out here,” he added.

The remarks of Marin and Rivas once again highlighted the perennial problem which has gripped Indian sports for long. The governments shower crores of rupees on athletes only when they earn glory at the Olympics. But what the sports administrators don’t realise is that the right time to invest on the sportspersons is during their developmental stage – at the grassroots level. 

Money should have been directed towards investing at the preparatory stage. As Denmark’s world No. 2 Jan O Jorgensen puts it: “We have already started preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Our government has started investing in preparations.”

Jwala not happy

India’s doubles specialist Jwala Gutta said that the country would never succeed in doubles at the Olympics unless the Sports Ministry and the Badminton Association of India (BAI) treat the category at par with singles.

Gutta said that she would soon get into sports administration to improve the plight of the doubles players. “For BAI, doubles players are like orphans. The whole system is behind a select few singles players and we would always be left to fend for ourselves. We don’t have a reserve pool in doubles which can take my and Ashwini Ponnappa’s place after we retire. I am ready to get into sports administration to help the doubles players. Coaching is also an option. By joining BAI, I would be able to represent the cause of these players and improve their plight,” she said.

Chennai Smashers storm into semis 

The mixed doubles pair of Chris Adcock and Gabriella Adcock, along with Tommy Sugiarto, led Chennai Smashers into the semifinals of the Premier Badminton League by winning crucial matches in a 4-1 win over Mumbai Rockets here today. The Adcock couple trounced their counterparts Chirag Shetty and Nadiezda Zieba of Mumbai 9-11 11-2 11-7 and then Tommy Sugiarto defeated Ajay Jayaram 8-11 11-2 11-5 to seal the contest. In the inconsequential fifth match, Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu won 11-8 12-10 against Sung Ji Hyun.