Khattar suspends order on athletes’ pay

◗ The Haryana govt notification had asked sportsperson employed in govt dept to hand over one- third of their income from participation in professional events or endorsements

After facing much flak Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday put on hold his government’s order asking sportsperson employed in any government department or body controlled by the state to hand over one- third of their income from participation in professional events or endorsements.

“I have asked for the relevant file of sports department to be shown to me & the notification dated 30th April to be put on hold till further orders. We are proud of the immense contribution by our sportspersons & I assure them of a just consideration of all issues affecting them,” Mr Khattar said in his tweet , after the notification drew criticism from sportspersons and opposition parties.

In a notification issued by principal secretary of the sports and youths welfare department Ashok Khemka, the Haryana government had ordered sportspersons from the state to hand over onethird of their income from participation or endorsements. According to notification, the money will be used for development of sports in the state It can go up to all of earnings if the athlete has been granted leave with pay from a government job.

“The governor of Haryana is pleased to notify the following conditions governing the participation of sportspersons in professional sports or commercial endorsements and employed in any department of the state government,” the notification read.

“The sportsperson shall be accorded extraordinary leave ( without pay) during the said period. One- third of the income earned by the sportsperson from professional sports or commercial endorsements will be deposited with the Haryana state sports council. The money shall be used for the development of sports in the state,” the notification read.