NEW DELHI: In February, English cricketers like Ben Stokes and Tymal Mills were bought by IPL franchises for huge sums. At the same time, shuttlers representing the Union Jack were experiencing the opposite.
UK Sport, the governmental body that channels monies from Britain’s National Lottery and Exchequer into Olympic and Paralympic sports, had rejected the appeals of seven disciplines, including badminton.
These pleas had come after the body’s budget announcement last December for the next Olympic cycle, one which had stated that the racket sport wouldn’t receive a slice of their £345 million pie.
Great Britain Badminton’s allocation had already dipped from £7.4m to £5.9m before the Rio Olympics, which still yielded their third-ever medal. For Tokyo, Team GB were left with nothing.
Kirsty Gilmour too suffered. The Scot women’s singles No 1 said that the axe cost her up to £30,000 per year. That all changed after the Premier Badminton League 3 auction.
Being roped in by Bengaluru Blasters for `33 lakh, Gilmour is cherishing the opportunity. “The league is important for me after the funding cut. It is also significant in terms of experience. Playing six to eight games within two to three weeks against leading shuttlers is quite special, because we don’t get to train with many girls back home.”
Though a major part of her expenses are covered via this league, Sportscotland Institute of Sport too has supported her. “I’m very lucky because I’m a Scot. I don’t know what I would have done without them. I’ve also received private sponsorships from Norway and Denmark. I’m also the brand ambassador of Yonex now.”
Jumping from 56 to 16 in world rankings, Gilmour has made the most her circumstances. Especially after a knee surgery last year.
After the funding drama, one would be curious to know about its impact on players with the Tokyo Olympics in their sights. Gilmour hopes that the cut doesn’t affect performance. “We knew the decision wouldn’t be reversed. Everyone has taken it as a challenge. They’re looking at it as an opportunity to prove them wrong by pushing hard to give their best.”
srinidhi@newindinexpress.com
Bengaluru triumph
World No 1 Viktor Axelsen helped Bengaluru Blasters win 5-2 against Delhi Dashers 5-2. Bengaluru lost only their women’s singles clash.