Haryana Government cancels award function for CWG medallists after prize money furore

Haryana-based javelin-thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won gold at CWG 2018, has reportedly threatened to boycott the awards function over a proposed cut in prize money of some of the medal winners (Reuters)

Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Wednesday cancelled the felicitation function for the state's Commonwealth Games (CWG) medal winners after being threatened with a boycott by top athletes, such as wrestler Vinesh Phogat and javelin-thrower Neeraj Chopra, over a proposed cut in prize money.

The function was to be held in Panchkula on Thursday but athletes such as Phogat, Chopra and boxer Manoj Kumar had refused to attend it, citing the cut proposed for athletes employed with units like the Railways and Services. While Phogat and Chopra had won gold medals, Manoj claimed a bronze in the Gold Coast event.

"We have decided to cancel tomorrow's programme. We will be holding a meeting soon wherein we will review the existing policy. Under our sports policy, it is quite clear that we have to give award money to those who have played from the state," Haryana sports minister Anil Vij told PTI.

"There is no provision in the present policy to give award to those who have represented other bodies like Railways or the Army," he added.

Vij said even the reduced prize money being planned for the likes of Phogat (Railways) and Chopra (Services) is a departure from the past provision of not awarding athletes belonging to other units.

"...we gave relaxation in our policy and considered even those players who play for bodies like the Railways, lest they feel that they got any less than what their counterparts who represent the state get.

"Everyone is aware that Haryana gives highest award money. What we had said is that we will deduct the prize money that they get from their employer, in case of any, from the total reward money," Vij explained.

Vij said that sportspersons' objection to the government plan is not justified.

"If we don't go for deduction of this amount, then those who played from Haryana, their reward money will be reduced whereas those who played from other bodies, they will take Rs 1 crore, let's say from Railways as well as get Rs 1.5 crore from the Haryana government. We will be holding a meeting. We will review the existing policy," he said.

The preparations for organising the mega awards function at Panchkula had almost been completed. 

As per earlier programme, Governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki was to honour the medal winners in the presence of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Sports Minister Vij.

Of the 22 CWG medallists from Haryana, 13 represent organisations such as Indian Railways and Army. The Haryana government was to felicitate all the 22 medal winners.

However, controversy broke out after a few of the medal winners threatened boycott if the government didn't withdraw its decision of making the deduction from their prize money.

According to Haryana's sports policy, a CWG gold medallist from the state is to get Rs 1.5 crore, a silver-medallist Rs 75 lakh and a bronze-medallist Rs 50 lakh.