The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and more than 15 state associations are facing an impending crisis after the main sponsor Yonex cuts funding. Yonex stopped providing badminton equipment to BAI since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recommendation: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is facing a crisis following the ban on Chinese products
Yonex funds an approx. 3 million USD annually to the BAI. It also supports smaller state associations financially and provides rackets, shuttles and kits.
A secretary of a state association told the Times of India, “We actually want to start training. But since March we have not received sponsorship. They even stopped giving shuttles. We are finding it quite difficult.”
Another secretary of a state association said, “Due to the pandemic Yonex stopped sponsorship. As we are resuming our activities now, we request them to provide at least 50% of the sponsorship amount.”
An official of the BAI said that it was time BAI looked for new sponsors. He said, “We should look for other sponsors. Yonex used to pay a pittance to Sindhu and Srikanth but when they switched to other sponsors they got 10 times more. BAI should think on those lines.”