"It's high time the players also need to take responsibility" - Prakash Padukone lashes out at Olympic players, believes federations cannot be blamed
Post Lakshya Sen's defeat to Malaysia Lee Jii Zia in the bronze medal match of the men's singles event of the Paris Olympics 2024, his mentor and a legendary figure in Indian badminton Prakash Padukone lashed out to the players.
Notably, Sen won the first set with a scoreline 21-13. However, Zia fought back and ousted Sen in the next two games 21-16 and 21-11. Lakshya Sen had been dominating most of his games and even put on a brilliant turnaround in the quarter-finals against Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien-chen.
Moreover, after his defeat to defending champion Viktor Axelsen, the Danish shuttler heaped praise upon the 22-year-old. But Padukone's comments have now put up a different scenario.
He said in an interaction with the media:
"It's high time the players also need to take responsibility. You cannot hold the federations, governments responsible for the good or bad performances. They have done whatever they can. Ultimately, the federation or foundation can do so much. But players will also have to take responsibility and deliver when it matters the most. They have beaten the same players in other tournaments. But when it comes to Olympics we are not able to."
Prakash Padukone has nurtured Lakshya Sen for quite some time now and was seen during the Paris OIympics guiding the shuttler thoroughly. He has now asked the players to introspect their performances and work even harder. The mentor stated:
"The players also need to introspect. You can't just keep asking for more and more and more. May be the players are not working hard enough to get a medal at the Olympics. Not just only coaches or anybody. You have a sports science support team, players have their own physios, S&C coach, own nutritionist. I don't think any of the other countries, including USA and all, have so much of facilities. Let's be frank."
Prakash Padukone not happy with Lakshya Sen's fourth-place finish
Prakash Padukone also shared that he is absolutely unhappy with Sen. As mentioned earlier, Sen was leading in the first game and then went down in the next two. Padukone highlighted the same and even told the media how important a role they play in the development of the athletes.
He said:
"They are very less stars. If you don't give them something, it becomes an issue. The media also needs to play an important role. I'm not saying don't make them stars. I am actually not happy with the fourth position of Lakshya. He could have definitely got a medal. Axelsen might say Sen is the next best. But that's not good enough."
"Okay, if he would have lost comfortably to Christie, it was a different issue. But here he was leading (first game). He's still young but he must realize it himself and not give excuses that he wants more (facilities). If he takes responsibility and works hard, we can get better results. I don't think in terms of facilities anybody can do more," he concluded.
Lakshya Sen is now the third Indian athlete to have made a fourth-place finish, narrowly missing out on the podium at the Paris Olympics. The other two are Manu Bhaker and Arjun Babuta.