Athlete threatens to sell his medals
Prakash, the only swimmer from India to participate in the Rio Olympics, has threatened to auction his medals if he doesn’t get financial aid for high-altitude training in Spain.
Prakash, who won six gold and three silver medals at the Thiruvananthapuram national games, told Hindustan Times from Bengaluru that he is yet to get any financial assistance for competing in international events despite being nominated for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which aims to identify and support potential medal prospects for the 2020 Olympic Games.
“I spent around ~4 lakh from my own pocket to participate in various events across Dubai, Thailand and Singapore in the last two months. Now I am all drained out. I have to participate in high-altitude training in Spain, for which I neither have funds nor a sponsor,” the 24-year-old champion said.
Prakash said big announcements for sportspersons mostly remain on paper. “We keep crying about the medal drought, but make no sincere effort to groom budding sportspersons. We need proper training and international exposure. Just sending someone to a championship won’t do any good,” he said.
The swimmer said he had tweeted Union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for help but received no response.
“I am not here to make money. I want to make my country proud. But I can’t go on like this, without a sponsor or financial assistance,” he said.
News portal Sportskeeda had earlier published a report on the sportsperson’s tweet to Singh.
Prakash was an employee of the Indian Railways, when he quit to take up a police inspector’s job offered by the Kerala government. But his busy training schedule kept him from completing the required formalities, due to which he is yet to get his salary and other state benefits.
The sportsperson said there were times he contemplated hanging up his boots, but his mother – a former international athlete herself – convinced him to hang on. “But I don’t know who to turn to: the swimming federation or the Sports Authority of India,” he added.
Prakash’s mother, Shantimol, said it was sad to see him running pillar to post. “Seeing no option, I have suggested he sell some of his medals,” she added.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Sajan