Lack of infrasturcture, facilities hinders players' performance

Lack of proper infrastructure and coaching facilities, besides adequate international exposure of the Indian shuttlers was the main reason for their poor show in the international championship, said Chief National Coach Pullela Gopi Chand.

'There is no dearth of skill, stamina and talent in the Indian players against the Malasyia or any other country, but we lack in giving proper and continuous coaching and good training infrastructure to our players,' the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee said.

Talking to mediapersons, Gopi Chand said that now-a-days badminton was getting good publicity and exposure in the media and was helping a lot in the cause.

' I am happy the way the game is being promoted in the country and I am sure that after the Commonwealth Games at New Delhi next year, the sports in the country would receive a boost for the coming two decades like it did after the 1982 Asian Games,' Pullela claimed.

He said that organising several international games in the country had also helped the players a lot to play against the international players and now Indian shuttlers have shown their potential by coming in the World Rankings in every event.

' In the recent times there is lot of support from the sporting fraternity, which enabled the players to have training in other countries and sanctioned international stardard sports gear,' he further added.

When asked whether he had retired from the sports too early, Pullela said that 'he quit the sport due to his frequent injuries, but now he is satisfied to train quite a good number of players, who have all the abilities to win medals in the international tourney particularly during Commonwealth Games.

'Earlier, I had to only see my own game and train for the matches but now I have to keep track on 100 players getting training under my guidence,' he added.

Pullela was here in the preparation for the coming Syed Modi International grand Prix Bandminton to be held from December 15.

He said that the Lucknow tourney would be a great help for the Indian players as they can add points for the world ranking by giving good performance in the championship.