‘Sports is a gamble. Only 10% of players make 90% of the money’: Investor backs Pullela Gopichand’s warning

Indian badminton nationwide coach Pullela Gopichand has ignited a debate along with his comment that middle-class households ought to rethink pursuing sports activities severely. His assertion drew blended reactions — whereas some disagreed, others, together with investor Dilip Kumar, backed his viewpoint.

In a submit on X (previously Twitter), Kumar careworn the harsh actuality of skilled sports activities. “Gopi is proper. The truth is brutal — lower than 1% of aspiring athletes make it large, and even those that do are left with little safety as soon as their careers are over,” he wrote. Evaluating sports activities to startups, he added, “Sports activities, like startups, have a energy legislation distribution — 10% of players make 90% of the cash. Everybody else is a statistic.”

Kumar identified that underdog success tales create a deceptive narrative. “We like to learn and watch the underdog story — the child from nowhere who makes it to the high. However that’s survivorship bias. For each one success, there are tens of 1000’s who skilled simply as arduous however bought nothing. The true query is: why does sports activities need to be a gamble?” he mentioned.

He famous that exterior the high 1%, most athletes battle. “You don’t get sponsorships, you don’t have monetary safety, and as soon as your profession ends — often in your late 20s or early 30s — you’re left scrambling for what’s subsequent,” he added.

Kumar contrasted India’s sports activities system with developed nations the place structured leagues, faculty scholarships, and post-career alternatives present stability. “For those who don’t grow to be an Olympic champion, you’ll be able to nonetheless earn a residing as a coach, analyst, coach, or minor league participant. The system doesn’t discard you the second you’re not in the high 1%,” he mentioned.

He in contrast this to different profession paths, arguing that an engineer who fails at a startup can nonetheless discover a job, however a failed athlete usually has no backup. “That’s why in most international locations with out robust sports activities ecosystems, success in sports activities correlates with wealth. You’ll be able to’t afford to be an athlete until you’ll be able to afford to lose,” he acknowledged.

Kumar mentioned the drawback lies in the system, not the athletes. “Proper now, telling a poor child to pursue sports activities is like telling them to purchase lottery tickets as an funding technique. Till we alter that, Gopi’s phrases will stay true. And that’s a failure — not of the athletes, however of the system.”

He emphasised that a robust sports activities construction advantages society past simply producing champions. “A fantastic sports activities system doesn’t simply create champions — it creates a nation of resilient, disciplined, and aggressive folks. And that’s the basis of actual improvement,” he wrote.

Drawing a comparability with cricket, Kumar highlighted its well-established ecosystem. “It has a full-stack ecosystem — academies, home leagues, sponsorships, and post-retirement careers. A child doesn’t need to be wealthy to begin. They don’t need to win a World Cup to make a residing. There’s a pipeline — district cricket, Ranji, IPL, commentary, teaching, endorsements. Even a mid-tier participant can earn effectively,” he mentioned.

In distinction, he identified the lack of related constructions in different sports activities. “Now have a look at each different sport. The place’s the construction? The place’s the fallback? For those who don’t make it to the Olympics, you disappear. Cricket didn’t grow to be an business by chance. It was constructed. The identical must occur for all different sports activities,” he wrote.

Kumar concluded with a name for systemic reform: “Not everybody needs to be a gold medalist — similar to not each cricketer performs for India. However they need to nonetheless have a viable profession.”