Gaurav Khanna defends medal prediction amid para badminton controversy

Indian para badminton coach Gaurav Khanna has rejected allegations that a social media post regarding medal predictions negatively impacted player morale during the Asian Para Games. Khanna characterized the accusations as a “misleading public narrative” designed to discredit him after he raised concerns regarding documented irregularities in the team selection process.

The controversy stems from a now-deleted post made a day before the finals, in which Khanna predicted India would win 16 medals: two gold, six silver, and eight bronze. India ultimately won 16 medals (three gold, five silver, and eight bronze), a lower total than the 21 medals achieved in the 2022 edition of the Games.

Following the competition, several players alleged the post placed them under severe psychological pressure and requested an inquiry from the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry. K Prabhakar Rao, chairman of India’s para badminton, criticized the post and indicated he would seek action from the Badminton Association of India. Khanna maintains that the timing of the allegations, which surfaced approximately one week after the post, suggests an attempt to divert attention from his reports of selection discrepancies.