CWG medallists to get full prize money, says Anil Vij

CHANDIGARH: HARYANA sports and youth affairs minister Anij Vij said on Friday that all 22 sportspersons of the state, who had won medals in the Commonwealth Games (CWG)-2018, would be given their full award money and that chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had accorded approval for the same.

Vij said in a release that these sportsperson would soon be given the award money as per the sports policy of the state government, without any deductions.

He said that 22 sportspersons of the state had won medals in the Commonwealth Games-2018 held at Gold Coast, Australia, this year, which was 33% of the total medals won by the country. Haryana players won nine gold, six silver and seven bronze medals in the Games, he added.

Vij said that as per the sports policy, a gold medal winner of the state is given class-a government job along with ₹1.50 crore. The silver medal winners would be given class-b government job with award money of ₹1 crore and bronze medal winners would be given class-c government job and ₹50 lakh as award money.

Apart from this, each participating sportsperson would be provided ₹7.5 lakh as incentive money, he said.

Meanwhile, the decision was being seen as yet another change of mind of the government from its recent proposal to deduct the prize money given to players by their employers like the Railways or the army from the total award money given by the state.

The same had whipped up a major controversy with several medalists vehemently condemning it and announcing to boycott a government ceremony which had been scheduled to honour them. As the controversy raged, the government had to cancel the felicitation function.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and boxer Manoj Kumar had refused to attend the event, citing the cut proposed for athletes employed with units like the Railways and Services. While Phogat and Chopra had clinched gold, Manoj grabbed a bronze in the Games.

Out of the 22 CWG medallists from Haryana, 13 represented organisations such as Indian Railways and the army.

Announcing the decision to cancel the event, Vij said it had also been decided to review the state’s existing sports policy.

22 SPORTSPERSONS OF HARYANA HAD WON MEDALS IN THE GAMES THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS 33% OF THE TOTAL MEDALS WON BY THE COUNTRY