Haryana tells athletes it employs to pay up 33% of income from ads, professional sports

Sportspersons employed by the Haryana government will have to give the state 33% of the income earned through professional sports and commercial endorsements, for the development of sports.

As per the new rules, which came into effect on April 27, such sportspersons will have to seek extraordinary leave (without pay) during the period of participation in professional sports.

Olympic medal winning pugilist, Vijender Singh, hockey player, Sardara Singh and wrestler, Geeta Phogat are likely to be affected by the decision.

Principal secretary, sports and youth affairs, Ashok Khemka said in case such sportspersons are treated on duty (not on leave; with the prior approval of competent authority) when they take part in professional sports or commercial endorsement, the full income earned by them on this account will have to be paid.

Vijender, who is also a Haryana police officer, turned professional in 2015 while Sardara played the India Hockey League (IHL) and Geeta Phogat has done endorsements for JSW steel.

While Vijender and Sardara could not be reached immediately, wrestler Geeta Phogat said she did not agree with these conditions.

“We have to work so hard to excel at international level. Besides, a lot of monetary investment has to be made by our families in our training, practice, diet, equipment. Players do not get the required financial support from the government when they are in their early years and not yet stars. So, what’s wrong if they earn through commercial endorsements after earning a name worldwide. My suggestion is that the government should not come out with such conditions,” Phogat, a Haryana police officer said.

Two-time Olympic medal winning wrestler, Sushil Kumar has urged the government to review the policy.

“This policy should be reviewed. The government should establish a committee of senior sportspersons and take their input before forming a policy of this type. This will affect the morale of sportspersons and might affect their performance as well,” he told ANI.

Geeta’s sister, Babita Phogat also expressed her disappointment with the rule.

“I am saddened by 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 told ANI.

The money got through such sportspersons would be deposited with the Haryana State Sports Council and used for the development of sports in the state, said an April 27 notification issued by Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs department.

DGP B S Sandhu said the new conditions will be applicable from a prospective date (after April 27, 2018). “The Inspector General, Haryana Armed Police, has communicated the new conditions to all sportspersons employed in the state police,” he said.

Row Over Vijender Turning Professional

Olympian Vijender Singh, a Haryana police deputy superintendent of police (DSP), was at the centre of a row in 2015, and even prompted a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana high court, after he signed an agreement with United Kingdom-based Queensberry to turn professional.

The Haryana home department, in a statement before the high court, said he had not informed his employer (the Haryana government) about the contract with Queensberry.

The home department told the HC that Vijender had intimated that he wanted to take coaching under a trainer with the Queensberry, Lee Beard, to upgrade his skills, so that he could fight world’s top boxers in international competitions.

He had also told that he intend to enter into a contract with Queensberry Promotion and had requested that he be permitted to go to England for a year for the above purposes as per rules, and in case the permission was not possible, he be granted one-year leave.

The state government, however, observed that outstanding sportspersons who brought laurels to the country at international level have been recruited in the police as icons of sports for sending a message to budding sportspersons.

“Considering the fact that such sportspersons have a limited shelf-life at the international and national level, the service rules/conduct rules governing sportspersons recruited at different levels need to be modified to allow them leave/special leave and permission to sign contracts/endorsements/participate in professional or amateur games, championships at different levels,” the home department told the high court.

(With agency inputs)