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Abhinav Bindra Urges Athletes to Question Coaches and Systems for Excellence
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News18•16-10-2026, 12:31
Abhinav Bindra Urges Athletes to Question Coaches and Systems for Excellence
- •Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra stressed that athletes must be encouraged to question themselves, their coaches, and governing structures to achieve excellence.
- •Reflecting on his historic 2008 Beijing Olympics gold-winning journey, Bindra credited his success to his constant curiosity and willingness to challenge ideas.
- •He warned that discouraging athletes from speaking freely causes them to lose their critical thinking skills over time.
- •Bindra stated that what many mistake for indiscipline is often a genuine desire to learn, grow, and improve performance.
- •The former shooter emphasized that the sporting community must learn to distinguish between resistance to learning and the persistence of asking questions.
Key Questions Answered
Abhinav Bindra argued that a sporting culture where athletes freely question their work, coaches, and structures is vital for sporting excellence. He noted that curiosity and the desire to improve should not be mistaken for indiscipline.
Abhinav Bindra made history by winning India's first individual Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Abhinav Bindra served as the vice-chair of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, completing his eight-year tenure earlier this year.
