Was It Right for Prakash Padukone to Be Outraged About Badminton Stars?

Indian badminton team coach Prakash Padukone said in a widely shared rant that it was "high time the players step up and win" in reference to the upcoming Paris Olympics in badminton. Following Lakshya Sen's defeat to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the men's bronze medal match, Padukone made his comments, effectively ending India's chances of winning a badminton medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Following the collapse of one of the medal favorites, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty in the quarterfinals, followed Lakshya's setback.

According to Padukone, players need to shoulder some of the blame. "The Indian players received all the assistance and funding required to compete at the highest level. Unlike before, when our athletes lacked facilities, this time and funds. So, it's high time our players step up and win as expected," Padukone told reporters.

In response to Padukone, seasoned shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa strongly stated that he shouldn't have singled out the players for criticism.

"This is disappointing to see. Everyone catches on to claim credit when a player wins, and if they lose, it's all the player's fault, right? Ponnappa stated in a story on Instagram.

Was Prakash Padukone Correct to Feel Outraged?

The internet was split at Padukone's tirade. Some people said that the former Indian shuttler made the correct decision and that the players should be held accountable.
Others countered that it wasn't the best thing he's ever done to throw players under the bus. But it's also not really appropriate to criticize Padukone for his statements, especially in light of the fact that some of what he stated was genuine.