After intense pressure, Haryana government flip-flops on order on sportspersons' earnings

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has been forced to put on hold the order seeking one-thirds of the earnings of the sportspersons. The government was facing flak for its notification which said that the sportspersons will have to deposit one-third of their income earned from professional sports or commercial endorsements to the Haryana State Sports Council for the development of sports in the state.

"I have asked for the relevant file of Sports Department to be shown to me and the notification to be put on hold till further orders. We are proud of immense contribution by our sportspersons and I assure them of a just consideration of all issues," Haryana CM ML Khattar said.

Sportspersons had come out in the open opposing the order and had called it a senseless decision. 

Attacking the government, wrestler and Olympic bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt said the contribution of these officials to sports has been zero and such a move will result in the decline of sports. "God save us from such officials, who are taking senseless decisions like this. Their contribution to the development of sports in Haryana has been zero but I am sure, they will play a big role in the decline of sports in the state. Now, athletes will move to other states and these officials will be responsible for this," he tweeted.

Wrestler and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Babita Phogat also hit out hard at the decision saying that it looked like illiterate people were making policies. "I am saddened by notification. It seems as if illiterate people are making policies. Do they not know that we're already paying taxes on money we win in competitions. If this is how things are going to work the medal count will go down," Babita said.

Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar also echoed the same feelings and said that the government should make policies to encourage athletes as they already belong to poor families. "I have not yet seen the notification, I am only coming to know of it through media reports. I can only say that the athletes who compete in Olympic sports are already from very poor families. The government should make policies which encourage athletes. I haven't heard of such a policy anywhere else in the world. The athlete should be competing with a free mind, not with stress like this," he said.