CLOSE-IN: Are Indian sportspersons mentally strong?

The Indian sportspersons’ performance at the Paris Olympics has once again brought out the “Tale of being so close and yet so far”. Have the Indian sportspersons got the mental strength to win and overcome the final hurdle? This is a question that has been lingering on one’s mind for quite a while.

India’s legendary badminton sports hero, Prakash Padukone, the coach of the new badminton star, Lakshya Sen, after the latter’s defeat in the bronze medal match, came forth extremely strongly for the need of a mental coach. He felt that his prodigy fell short not on skill or fitness but at the lack of one. Lakshya warmed our hearts with his performance, however, Prakash felt he did not have the “oomph” factor to beat his opponent.

One could understand the frustration that led Prakash to broadcast his views, especially as he is one who normally does not do so. However, putting every effort into making a champion and having him in a position to beat the best and not doing so, can be painful for not only Prakash but also everyone who is helplessly sitting on the sideline. The support staff is putting as much time and effort into an athlete's preparation and a loss is as much of a disappointment for them. Unfortunately, they are always the unsung heroes who are forgotten in the pages of the record books.

All our Indian international sports performers have gone through their ups and downs on their way to represent the country. Winning and losing are part and parcel of the life of a sportsperson. Each one has been in situations similar to those faced by our Indian stars not only in badminton but also in archery, table tennis, skeet and pistol shooting, weightlifting as well as in the semifinals in hockey against Germany. For all these sportspersons to have made it to represent India, they all must have had the mental toughness to perform or else they would not have been there.

Therefore, they all have inner strength. However, the extra burden of wearing the Indian colours and fulfilling the expectations of the 1.4 billion countrymen and women seems to be the burden that weighs heavily on their shoulders. Many, therefore, succumb to the pressure and this Olympics has brought it out very clearly. Several of our athletes have performed well below their levels. This one can only relate to a lack of experience or because they are overwhelmed by the situation.

A mental and performance coach is a necessity in the present fast-moving world we live in. The outside noise heard through the digital and multi-media can be quite distracting and disturbing. The platform can make a sportsperson into a superstar as well as a failed and miserable one. The pressure is enormous, and one needs a comforting ear and wise advice to go through the uncertainty that sports deliver.

This is why the “fear of failure” has become a prime reason that one presently faces and one that has been identified as a major concern. The Indian cricket team had this cloud over them for over a decade till they finally came forth victorious by winning the T20 World Cup ’24.

The Indian cricket side, under a new coach and coaching staff, performed miserably against a relatively new and inexperienced Sri Lanka side recently. With two major One-day Tournaments in the Asia Cup and The Champions Trophy to prepare for, a comprehensive series defeat was not what one expected. The Indian cricketers seemed still in the euphoria of their T20 World Cup win and their body language showcased it very prominently.

The Indian cricket team, which was languishing in the same mental state as the athletes whom one is running down in the Olympics, is now flying high on cloud nine. A win is all that matters to change the equation.

The problem that most sportspersons face in India is that of “confidentiality”. The mental or performance coach appointed by the sports associations including cricket are reporting to the office-bearers at the helm. An athlete, therefore, is not confident in relaying the truth and engaging with all his problems to the mental coach. After all, the person appointed makes his report which has been used to ruin careers in the past. If the issue of confidentiality is resolved, it will be a boon for athletes in India and Prakash Padukone would have his concern answered.

Our Indian hockey side has a very astute mental coach in Paddy Upton. The man who was the assistant coach to Gary Kirsten when the Indian team won the Cricket World Cup in 2011. One can see the confidence and self-belief in each of our players, although they did not reach the final, they showed grit and resilience to win the bronze.

The sad tale of what would have been our most decorated women wrestler, Vinesh Poghat, still haunts us. Being disqualified for 100 grams of extra weight before a final bout for the gold is an agonizing story. How could an Indian mission send her for a weigh-in when they knew she was marginally overweight? This was like sending a lamb for slaughter, knowing fully well what the outcome would be. In the state of starvation, exercise and sleep deprivation, there was no way she would have been able to perform in any case. She had won the silver for India and had enough reasons to be hospitalised.

The unprofessional approach towards and the lack of care for an athlete who had done enough to make us proud showcases whether we have the right people to monitor a sportsperson's nutrition, fitness and medical needs.

For her, an unflinching and never-say-die athlete, to retire is truly a black mark on Indian sport.

(Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal)