There are few things more unusual — and more dismal — in Indian sport than an entire contingent being left to fend for itself financially. Yet, that is what happened to the country’s badminton players during their four-tournament European swing, when government funding was declined just days before the Arctic Open in Finland. While individual athletes have occasionally struggled to secure financial support, it is rare for an entire team to be left without sanctioned funding for an international tour. The episode is particularly jarring given how India’s sporting ecosystem has evolved over the last decade, with government spending growing nearly four........

© Indian Express