Pramod Bhagat urges probe after ex-coach publicly predicted Asian Para Games medals
Paralympic badminton champion Pramod Bhagat has called for action against former Indian head coach Gaurav Khanna after Khanna published a medal projection a day before the finals at the recently concluded Asian Para Games in Japan. Khanna's deleted post forecast a 16-medal haul — two gold, six silver and eight bronze — while India finished with three gold, five silver and eight bronze, matching the overall total but exceeding his gold count by one.
Khanna released the forecast a day before the finals and said it would be fewer than India's 2022 Hangzhou total; he later removed the social media post. Bhagat criticised the timing and public nature of the prediction, saying: "Making public medal predictions by naming athletes a day before the conclusion of a prestigious tournament like the Asian Para Games is extremely unprofessional and ethically wrong, particularly when the person doing so identifies himself as the head coach. Such actions raise serious questions about professional responsibility and impartiality," Bhagat told PTI. He added that the Badminton Association of India traditionally announces the contingent's overall medal tally after a tournament concludes, allowing athletes to compete without preconceived expectations.
Earlier on Tuesday, players lodged a complaint with the Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India and the Badminton Association of India president and secretary general, requesting a formal inquiry and appropriate disciplinary action against Khanna. Bhagat also urged the BAI, the SAI and other concerned authorities to investigate the episode and to lay down clearer rules to prevent similar incidents.
India para badminton chairman K Prabhakar Rao criticised Khanna's public prediction, saying it put athletes under psychological pressure, and said he would raise the matter with the BAI and seek appropriate action. The collective objections from officials and athletes prompted the calls for a formal review.
Bhagat was among the players named in Khanna's forecast and the former coach had specifically predicted a silver for Bhagat in the men's singles SL3 final. Bhagat, a six-time world champion, finished second in that event after losing to Nitesh Kumar at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
On the effect of such public forecasts Bhagat said: "In my case, I was predicted to win silver in the men's singles SL3 final, which I eventually lost to Nitesh Kumar. Every match is different, and no outcome is certain until the final point is played. "Such predictions can create unnecessary pressure on athletes, influence public perception and lead to negativity towards players who do not achieve the predicted results," he said. The 38-year-old from Bihar added that the Indian contingent had maintained a positive mindset throughout the tournament and that athletes should have been able to approach the final day without additional distractions.
Khanna currently runs a badminton academy in Lucknow and several of his wards have competed at the highest level. The players' complaints and calls for an official review have put the focus on the need for clearer guidelines governing public statements about athletes' expected performances during major competitions.