Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said that the policy should be reviewed.
Haryana sportspersons have been irked by the state government’s notification asking them to deposit “one-third of the income earned by them from professional sports or commercial endorsements with the Haryana State Sports Council.” The step, according to the state government, has been taken for the development of sports in Haryana. The notification, dated April 30, is applicable to any sportsperson employed with any department of the state government and is participating in professional sports or commercial endorsements.
Wrestler Babita Phogat said that the government should factor in the amount of hard work that a sportsperson puts in. “Does the government even realize how much of hard work a sportsperson puts in?” she is quoted as saying by ANI. “How can they ask for one-third of the income? I do not support this at all. Government should’ve at least discussed it with us. I am saddened by this notification. It seems as if illiterate people are making policies. Do they not know that we’re already paying taxes on money we win in competitions. If this is how things are going to work the medal count will go down”
Babita’s sister and 2010 Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Geeta Phogat launched a scathing attack on the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government in a tweet
??????? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?? ?????????? ?? ???? -? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??? pic.twitter.com/lVggWOD8ln
— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) 8 June 2018
Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt also hit out the government.
???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ??? ?? pro-league ?? ???? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ??????? camp ??? ???? ?? , ???? ?????? ???? ?? ? ????? ??? ????????? ?? approval ??? – ??? ?? ???? ???????????? ?? ?? ???-??? ??????? ?? “????” ?? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??-?? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) 8 June 2018
Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said that the policy should be reviewed. “Government should establish a committee of senior sportspersons & take their input before forming a policy of this type. This will affect the morale of sportspersons & might affect their performance as well,” he told ANI.