At the 2025 World University Games in Germany, what should have been a moment of pride turned into heartbreak for half of India’s badminton contingent. Six of the 12 Indian players were barred from competing in the event, not for any fault of their own, but due to an administrative error by team officials.

Among those affected, Alisha Khan, a prominent name in the squad,  voiced her anger on Instagram, calling the incident “career sabotage by AIU and our team officials.” Her words have now become a rallying cry in Indian university sports circles.


The Lapse: Six Names were incorrect from Official Submission

India had selected a full 12-member squad for badminton, but only six players were registered correctly to compete. According to reports, the mistake occurred during the managers’ meeting on July 16, when the team failed to correctly submit the full list to FISU, the organizing body.

The six players left out were:

•Rohan Kumar

•Darshan Pujari

•Aditi Bhatt

•Abhinash Mohanty

•Viraj Kuvale

•Alisha Khan

Despite traveling, training, and being part of the official squad, they were not permitted to play a single match and received no medals, recognition, or documentation.

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Zero Technical Support. No Coach.

In a scathing post, Alisha also alleged that the team lacked basic infrastructure:

“We had no team coach. Players had to support each other from the sidelines. There was zero technical support.”

She emphasized that the AIU (Association of Indian Universities), responsible for organizing India’s representation, has offered no clarity or apology.


Medal Overshadowed by Injustice

The six players who were registered managed to win India a historic bronze medal, the country’s first-ever in badminton at the World University Games. But for the other half of the squad, the experience ended in disillusionment and silence.
This exclusion not only affected their immediate participation, but could also impact long-term career opportunities, both in and beyond sports.


Accountability Demanded

With no formal inquiry announced, the spotlight is now on the AIU. Athletes and officials across disciplines are demanding answers:

Who submitted the faulty list?

Why was there no double-verification system?

Why was no technical coach traveling with the team?


In a system that already struggles to support student-athletes, this episode at the World University Games exposes a dangerous gap in accountability. For players like Alisha Khan, who’ve trained years for such global platforms, it wasn’t just a match they lost, it was trust, opportunity, and a shot at sporting glory.

“This isn’t mismanagement. This is career sabotage,” said Alisha Khan.

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