One of the first player to bring recognition for doubles badminton in India, two-time Olympian and former World Championship Bronze medallist Jwala Gutta is disappointed with the poor state of doubles badminton in the country and feels that the current set up need a complete revamp as nothing is going right in it and she would like to be the one responsible for bringing the change.
Speaking on the launch of Jwala Gutta Academy of Excellence on Tuesday, 2010 Commonwealth Games Gold medallist in women’s doubles, Jwala was asked if she will be seen as a player on court in her academy in Hyderabad, the senior pro who still hasn’t announced her retirement yet but is out of the national scheme of thing for past couple of years said that she is ready to represent India even but there is no one to be paired up with.
“I can’t think of even one doubles player who I want to play with today. I am in the selection panel, I see the list and have seen them (doubles players) play. We need a complete revamp in doubles,” she said.
“There is a need for a completely different ecosystem for doubles and that’s only when it will come up, otherwise it’s going to be the same,” she added.
Though Satwiksairaj Renkireddy and Chirag Shetty have done well consistently this year in men’s doubles, women’s and mixed doubles performance is very disappointing.
“When I stopped playing, you tried to put me down. So I was not there last two years, so what have you done?
“So don’t you think I was right all this while? Don’t you think I have the credential to lead and head the doubles today but certain people don’t want me.”
The 36-year old even asked, “Are you sure about women’s or mixed doubles qualifying for Olympics?”
Further discussing it, she said if given a chance she would like to head doubles game in India because the whole system is wrong at the moment.
“I would like to see myself heading doubles but doubles don’t need coach right now. It needs correction in administration. The whole system is wrong right now,” she said.
On being asked to list the ‘wrong’, she went on to add and said, “People are not educated about how important double is. The doubles need to be promoted by the association and the players need to be highlighted when they win.”
“There is so little space (in newspapers) for them (for doubles players) compared to the singles and that needs to stop.”
She went to add that “It’s the players that need to speak for themselves but they are scared of saying so because if they do, they won’t be considered for the national team.”
The 36-year old also stressed upon the need to produce more Indian coaches.
“It’s high time that we create a program where we can make our Indian coaches as capable as the foreign ones which we are not doing at all. We aren’t paying attention to them.”
“I have learnt from my experience that one person can’t hand too many people. So we need more such.”
“If we want to beat China, follow the part of their system, they respect coaches and they are on a high pedestal. Over here (in India) players get everything after winning.”
“The government has to step up and make a system to make coaches first. ‘The better the coaches, the better the players,’” she added.
Jwala also said it is important to probe the conflict of interest of the Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand.
“He is chief coach, chief selector, owns his academy, District Association President, secretary of Telangana Association, part of Khelo India, part of PBL, part of Gosports — it is all on papers, it is not my imagination. So if there is a conflict of interest, ask questions,” she said.
She also questioned the logic of holding the national camp only at the Gopichand academy.
“Before I have attended camps at many places such as Bangalore, Jalandhar, and after 2006, it has only been happening at the Gopichand academy in Hyderabad. I had no problems since I live there, but it is not fair. Why camps only in Hyderabad?
“Tell me how many Telugu players are there in the Indian team? Are you trying to tell me that in the last 10 years India couldn’t produce a non-Telugu player to play for the country, Even people who are non-Telugu, they are playing for Telangana state.”
