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Jwala Gutta lashes out at Pullela Gopichand for TOPS snub

Shuttler says was ignored because she refused to massage chief coach's ego

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Soon after the Union sports ministry came out with its list of 39 more athletes in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) on Thursday, premier women's doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta launched another direct attack on former coach Pullela Gopichand for promoting players of his own academy players and ignoring others like her.

Gutta accused the chief national coach of "biased selection" for ignoring her name from the TOPS list of for the simple reason that "she refused to massage his ego".

Gutta, who is in Sydney participating in the Australian Open Super Series, accused the sports ministry for playing into the hands of her former coach, who is a member of the TOPS committee headed by BJP MP and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.

Gutta said she was hoping to make the second list because she was assured of the same by Union sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal. However, the ministry's "dual approach" left her distraught.

"I had refrained from taking any names after the first list was announced. But now I have to really tell the world that there is only one person behind our exclusion from the TOPS list and that is Pullela Gopichand," Gutta told dna from Sydney, adding, "Gopi has a personal grudge against me and that's why he doesn't want both of us. This is because I have always refused to massage his ego. My job is to perform for the country and not massage someone's ego." The 'us' Gutta referred to was partner Ashwini Ponnappa.

Gutta, who along with Ponnappa won a bronze medal at the 2011 world championships, wants to meet prime minister Narendra Modi. Gutta asked why RMV Gurusaidutt, another of Gopi's wards, made the TOPS list. For the record, he has been allotted Rs 60 lakh to prepare for the Rio Games.

"Just because he is from Gopi academy, Gurusaidutt has been given a contract. How fair is this selection?" Gutta fumed. "A player like Gurusaidutt doesn't deserve to be there in the list. Sorry, but the whole situation has prompted me to take names." Gurusaidutt is ranked 68th in the world. Gutt and Ponnappa occupy the 18th spot.

Gutta questioned the wisdom of the TOPS committee which chose four men's singles players even though there are only two Olympic quota places available in this category. "There is only one doubles quota place for Rio Games and Gopichand feels that the pair of Jwala and Ashwini is not worthy enough. I am posing a direct question to Gopichand. Why is he doing so?" Gutta asked.

After losing her second round match at the Australian Open on Thursday, Gutta vowed to continue her fight against a "biased" Gopichand. "It looks like my on-court performances over the years are not good enough to get me a TOPS contract? Let me assure him (Gopichand), I will continue to fight against the injustice meted out to me and my partner. I don't want to sound like a cry baby, but people should realise that I am not the one who will keep quiet," the Hyderabadi said.

Gutta said the situation is forcing her to draw comparisons with World No. 2 Saina Nehwal. "Saina has been getting all the support for her good results. We, too, won three medals and did well in the Sudirman Cup last year. If TOPS is all about performance, then why should I not compare our own performance with that of hers?" asked the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

Gutta felt sorry for her partner Ashwini, who, she said, was being "targeted because of me". "Because of me, this poor girl is suffering. She is also bearing the burnt."

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