Khemka’s note behind CWG award function cancellation?

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26

A strongly worded note of Ashok Khemka, Principal Secretary (Sports), to Sports Minister Anil Vij, questioning the inclusion of certain sportspersons in the list of awardees for the April 26 felicitation ceremony, seems to be primary reason for cancelling the event.

In his letter, Khemka opposed the inclusion of junior and sub-junior players in the list of awardees along with senior players.

“In the list 60 medallists, recommended by the Director (Sports), for the award function there are 26 junior, four who participated in youth games and one sub-junior level players. There were nine awardees from skating, roller skating and roller hockey disciplines, which are not part of Olympics, Asian Games Commonwealth Games,” Khemka said, citing the Haryana Sports and Physical Fitness Policy 2015.

Earlier, it was believed the state government had cancelled the felicitation ceremony after some Commonwealth medal winners had threatened to boycott the function over a proposed cut in the award money.

Without naming the Director (Sports), Khemka said: “In the list submitted by the Director (Sports), his daughter Gauri Sheoran is included for cash award of Rs 20 lakh as gold medallist in Junior World Cup category. The names of Manu Bhaker and Vinesh Phogat are missing.”

“The recommendation by the Director (Sports) to consider junior, sub-junior and youth events on a par with open events for cash award is spurious and unmerited, notwithstanding the procured recommendation of a committee consisting of his subordinates,” the note read.

Sources said that after receiving Khemka’s letter, Vij met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Subsequently, a decision was taken to cancel the function to avoid embarrassment to the state government.