Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi on Friday announced that the hockey players from the state participating in the Tokyo Olympics would get Rs 2.25 crore each if the team wins a gold medal. Earlier, an amount of Rs 2.25 crore had been announced to be given to the entire team if it won a gold.
Sodhi, as per an official statement, said that out of total 20 players from Punjab, 11 players are giving their best in the Indian hockey team competing in Tokyo Olympics.
The men’s team has raised hopes of a medal by qualifying for the quarterfinals in Tokyo, winning four of their five league matches.
India last won an Olympic medal in hockey in 1980 when they won the last of their eight gold medals.
Meanwhile, the Indian men’s hockey team registered a comprehensive 5-3 win over hosts Japan to cement its quarterfinal spot with a second-place finish in Pool A at the Olympics here on Friday. Already assured of a quarterfinal berth going into the match, India scored through Gurjant Singh (17th, 56th), Harmanpreet Singh (13th), Shamsher Singh (34th) and Nilakanta Sharma (51st) to register their third consecutive win at the Oi Hockey Stadium.
India could face either Netherlands or Great Britain in the quarter-finals.
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