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New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI): Star Indian doubles badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on Friday cleared the air over his statements on lack of reception for Team India's Thomas Cup bronze medal win, saying that his remarks "did not come from a place of wanting personal fame or taking credit away from other's achievements", but his message is to "foster a culture that encourages and celebrates every win, big or small".
France defeated India 3-0 to reach the finals of the Thomas Cup 2026, in Horsens, Denmark, on Saturday. For India, the dream of reclaiming the title they won in 2022 ended in the semifinals, leaving them with a bronze medal for the 2026 edition. Following the event, when the Indian squad returned home, they did not receive a massive reception from fans. On his Instagram story, Satwiksairaj had written, "Back home now. As usual, no one knows what happened over the past two weeks, and it seems like no one really cares." This story was reshared by his doubles partner, Chirag Shetty.
During a presser later on, Chirag said that India is "not a sporting nation as of yet and does not celebrate its athletes the way they should". He also pointed out the lack of recognition and awareness among fans about the magnitude of India's Thomas Cup way back in 2022. These remarks did not go down well with some sections of Indian sports fans and the athletes faced some trolling.
Now, Satwiksairaj has given a statement on his remarks, saying that "people are deviating from the original point."
"The last few days have brought a lot of attention to my recent comments regarding the lack of a reception for our Thomas Cup bronze medal. While I am grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement, I want to clarify my intent because I see many people deviating from the original point," he said.