Indian badminton star Saina Nehwal has recently addressed criticism surrounding her 2012 London Olympic bronze medal, which some fans have disparaged as being ‘gifted.’ The criticism gained traction after comments she made during the Paris Olympics led to renewed scrutiny from social media.
Saina’s husband, Parupalli Kashyap, discussed the controversy during a podcast with RJ Anmol and actor Amrita Rao. He mentioned that some social media users believe Saina’s bronze medal was not earned but rather given as a result of her opponent’s injury.
Fired up by these allegations, Saina hit back at her detractors. She urged those making such claims to first prove themselves by qualifying for the Olympics. “Olympic level ke layak toh bano aap. Pehle Olympics ke liye qualify toh karke dikhao,” she said, challenging her critics to reach the level required for Olympic competition.
The bronze medal in question was awarded to Saina after her opponent, China’s Wang Xin, was forced to retire due to a knee injury. This twist of fate led to Saina being awarded the medal, but not without controversy.
Saina has faced criticism before, particularly regarding her comments on wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the women’s 53kg final. Saina had questioned how such mistakes could occur at such a high level of competition given the support system Phogat had.
Additionally, Saina recently hinted at retirement, citing the physical toll of maintaining a competitive sports career. Her comments on various issues have drawn mixed reactions, but she continues to stand firm in her responses.
In defending her Olympic achievement, Saina has emphasized the hard work and dedication required to reach such a level, countering claims that undermine her accomplishment. Her responses underscore the challenges faced by athletes in dealing with public scrutiny and maintaining their reputation.
