Chandigarh, June 26: Athletes like world number one wrestler Bajrang Punia and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat took to Twitter to express their displeasure on cuts in prize money by Haryana Government as per the new sports policy.
Bajrang Punia had said that wrestlers from Haryana represented not only the state but the entire country and that such demoralizing acts of the government will break the morale of these athletes.
Sports Minister of Haryana, Anij Vij, responded to Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat’s tweet saying they have never disrespected sportspersons. ” On the basis of sports policy prize money has been distributed. If there is some discrepancy they can speak to the department. We have never disrespected our sportspersons,” he said.
Vinesh Phogat had said that the government rolled back on its promise made five years ago that no athlete will be forced to leave Haryana and will be guaranteed respect and reward. “Every time you try right here how to annoy players. I have not seen such an insulting Government of sportspersons in Haryana till today. I want to ask you how many players you have done to give you prize money and jobs till date,” she wrote on Twitter.
Last week, Haryana Government canceled a state-level function to award sportspersons and decided to transfer the cash prize directly into their accounts. The athletes who have won medals at Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asian Para Games during the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 were to be honoured in the function.
