Date:10/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/10/stories/2007111055100800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

G.O. checkmates Doha Games medallists

V. V. Subrahmanyam

Gold medallists lose out on cash incentive as they represent disciplines not included in Olympics

HYDERABAD: It was a move which clearly checkmated some of the Doha Asian Games medallists including World No. 2 Koneru Humpy and GM Pentyala Harikrishna.

For, the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh decided to adhere strictly to the guidelines mentioned in the GO Ms No. 84 with regard to cash incentives for outstanding performances at the highest level which effectively meant only Olympic disciplines have to be considered while disbursing these incentives.

Break-up

What is perplexing is the decision taken only recently after ignoring the same guidelines for over seven years since the GO was actually issued on May 4, 2000.

The GO specifies the break-up of incentives as follows: Olympics – Gold – Rs. 25 lakhs. Silver – Rs. 16 lakhs. Bronze – Rs. 10 lakhs.

World Championship: Gold – Rs.16 lakhs. Silver – Rs.7.5 lakhs.

Bronze – Rs. 5 lakhs. Asian Games: Gold – Rs.10 lakhs. Silver – Rs.7.5 lakhs. Asiad bronze\Olympic participation – Rs.5 lakhs.

National Games: Gold – Rs.5 lakhs.

Silver – Rs.3 lakhs. Bronze – Rs.2 lakhs.

Then follows the rider: Provided, such games are existing regular disciplines in Olympic Games.

Bane for players

This has become the bane for players like Humpy and Harikrishna – gold medallists in the Doha Asian Games and golfer Anirban Lahiri (silver medallist).

For, by strictly adhering to this guideline, the SAAP has ignored these players in listing out the beneficiaries at the recent disbursal of cash incentives.

“It is surprising that they are trying to differentiate us from the rest of the medal winners considering the fact that we won them in the same Asian Games,” says Koneru Ashok, whose daughter Humpy is to get Rs. 20 lakhs for two gold medals in the Doha Asian Games.

Stunned

What has stunned these medallists is that the list released by the SAAP for cash incentives for winning medals in the Doha Asian Games includes J. J. Shobha, S. Geetha, P. Shanker (all athletics), Kiran, Satish Joshi and Jenil Krishnan (all rowing), Gagan Narang (shooting) and Sania Mirza (tennis).

“There is no way we can question these medallists getting the benefits.

But why should be denied for winning medals in the same Asian Games?” is the argument.

Deterrent

Considering that the State Government has been giving cash incentives worth lakhs of rupees over the last six years, the latest move is also seen as a deterrent to promoting non-Olympic sports in rural areas where the Olympic disciplines are not so popular.