The national coach of the Indian badminton Pullela Gopichand sparked a debate with his remark that families in the middle class should reconsider the continuation of sports seriously. His statement attracted mixed reactions – while some do not agree, others, including investor Dilip Kumar, supported his point of view.
In an article on X (formerly Twitter), Kumar highlighted the harsh reality of professional sports. “Gopi is right. The reality is brutal-less than 1% of aspiring athletes do things largely, and even those who do it find themselves with little security once their careers are over, “he wrote. By comparing sports to startups, he added: “Sports, such as startups, have a distribution of power law – 10% of players earn 90% of money. Everyone is a statistic.
Kumar pointed out that the outsider success stories create a misleading story. “We like to read and look at the story of the oppressed – the child from nowhere arrives at the top. But it’s a survival bias. For each success, there are tens of thousands of people who have trained just as hard but who have nothing. The real question is: why should sports be a bet? He said.
He noted that outside the upper 1%, most athletes are struggling. “You do not get sponsorships, you do not have financial security, and once your career ends – generally at the end of the twenty or at the start of the thirties – you find yourself bothering for the next one” , he added.
Kumar has contrasted the India’s sports system with developed countries where structured leagues, university scholarships and opportunities after the career ensure stability. “If you do not become an Olympic champion, you can always earn a living as a coach, analyst, coach or minor league. The system does not throw you away when you are not in the top 1%, “he said.
He compared this to other career paths, arguing that an engineer who fails in a startup can always find a job, but that a failed athlete often has no safeguard. “This is why in most countries without solid sports ecosystems, the success of sports is in correlation with wealth. You cannot afford to be athlete unless you cannot afford to lose, “he said.
Kumar said the problem lies in the system, not athletes. “Right now, telling a poor child to continue sports is like telling them to buy lottery tickets as an investment strategy. Until we change that, Goopi’s words will remain true. And it’s a failure – not athletes, but of the system. »»
He stressed that a strong sports structure benefits the company beyond the simple production of champions. “A large sports system does not only create champions – it creates a nation of resilient, disciplined and competitive people. And this is the foundation of real development, “he wrote.
Kumar has highlighted a well -established ecosystem. “It has a complete ecosystem – academies, domestic leagues, sponsorships and post -retirement careers. A child does not need to be rich to start. They don’t have to win a World Cup to make a living. There is a pipeline – District Cricket, Ranji, IPL, Comment, coach, endorsements. Even a mid-level player can win well, “he said.
On the other hand, he underlined the lack of similar structures in other sports. “Now look at all other sports. Where is the structure? Where is the withdrawal? If you are not reaching the Olympic Games, you disappear. Cricket has not become an accident industry. It was built. The same must happen for all other sports, “he wrote.
Kumar concluded with a call for a systemic reform: “Not everyone should be a gold medalist – just like all cricket players do not play for India. But they should always have a viable career. »»
