2016 World Cup: Govt yet to give prize money

AMRITSAR: Over two years have passed since the 2016 edition of the circle style World Cup Kabaddi (WCK) was held, but the state government is yet to release the prize money to the teams, players and coaches who had excelled in the tournament.

World Cup Kabaddi was the brainchild of former deputy CM and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and the first edition of the tournament was organised in 2010. The opposition had been alleging that the event was a ploy to gain political mileage.

After coming to power in 2017, the Congress government discontinued the event and was yet to release the prize money.

“We approached the authorities many times with request to clear the dues, but our efforts bore no results as they took the excuse of fund crunch,” said Harpreet Singh, chief coach of Punjab Kabaddi Association.

In the 6th edition, Indian men’s and women’s teams had clinched the titles.

In men’s section, the winner team was to get ₹2 crore, followed by ₹1 crore to the first runners-up and ₹50 lakh to second runners-up. In women’s category, the prizes were ₹1 crore, ₹51 lakh and ₹30 lakh, respectively. The players had to move Punjab and Haryana high court, which ordered the government on December 10 to release money within six weeks.

Minister of sports and youth services Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi was not available for comment. Director, department of sports and youth services, Amrit Kaur Gill said, “As the court has issued the orders now, the file of the case has been put up before the higher authorities. Now, it is up to the authorities what they do.”

CHIEF MINISTER THANKS CENTRE FOR CONCEDING TO HIS REQUEST, WHICH WILL BRING ₹150-CRORE RELIEF TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT