Ball in Vinesh's court, says sports minister

Haryana Minister of State for Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Sports Gaurav Gautam has stated that the state government had made its offer to Congress MLA and Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat and the ball was now in her court.

Gautam was in Rohtak to inaugurate the Haryana Film Festival-2025 at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) on Friday.

Talking to the media, he said CM Nayab Singh Saini had asked Vinesh to choose from among a government job, a cash reward of Rs 4 crore and an HSVP plot, as per the state government's policy.

"Now, she has to decide," he said.

Vinesh Phogat had stated during the budget session of the Haryana Assembly that the CM had not fulfilled his promise of giving her the cash reward fixed for the recipient of an Olympic silver medal.

Following that, Saini had made the offer.

In response to a query, Gautam said Rs 38 crore were spent on sportspersons under 10 years of Congress rule in the state, while the BJP government had spent Rs 592 crore in 10 years.

Replying to another question, he maintained that the government had given cash awards to many players and those remaining would get them soon.