Head held high

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Head held high

Tuesday, 17 May 2022 | Pioneer

Head held high

India’s historic Thomas Cup win will go a long way in promoting other sports, too

In what’s nothing short of a stupendous achievement for India in the annals of global sporting events, our badminton players turned the final match at the Thomas Cup finals into a game of ‘goodminton’ for the population of the entire country. On the sheer scale of matting the odds, displaying the grit, and living through the proverbial blood, sweat and tears, our players were not one iota less heroic than the iconic 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning team. What makes this historic victory sweeter – only five countries have so far won the prestigious trophy in the tournament’s 73-year history since it came into existence, and it was India’s maiden appearance in the tournament’s finals – is that it was clinched against an opponent as formidable as Indonesia, which is a 14-time champion and six-time runners up, and the latter was beaten comprehensively by a 3-0 margin. In the past, though, India did manage to lay its hands on the bronze medal thrice, in 1952, 1955 and 1979. For the uninitiated, in team sports among badminton-playing countries, a Thomas Cup victory is like a nation winning the Davis Cup in lawn tennis. The Thomas Cup is sometimes referred to as the World Men’s Team Championships.

It’s time to celebrate the historic victory and savour the moment, of course! However, what mustn’t be lost to the nation’s eye in the gloss of the golden confetti is how to keep this momentum going. Our Sports Minister has already envisioned a historic medal haul in the next Olympics. But only wishing for great results will not get us anywhere. What needs to be done on the ground is that, apart from cricket, the Government needs to earmark funds to give a genuine thrust to players and athletes from different disciplines. The accomplishment on the badminton court in Bangkok also underlines the need for top-notch training and provision for infrastructural facilities. We must go out hunting for outstanding district-level players and athletes, and build them quality infrastructure there, apart from making sure that they receive nutritious diet and training. In fact, all these things considered and delivered together would go a long way, in fact to the top of the podium frequently, in making India a sporting nation that can hold its own in the galaxy of sports superpowers!

 

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