Taekwondo player Dahiya rues apathy

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 8 

Sonepat taekwondo player Pradeep Dahiya, who was a part of the gold medal winning Indian team at the 2017 Commonwealth Championship, today alleged that he was being denied a government job by the Haryana Government and even the cash award he was eligible for has been withheld by the Sports Department.        

“Every other player who was in the team was given a job. I went to the court in this regard, and in turn, they have now stopped my cash award,” alleged the 27-year-old.   

“The certificate was approved under the gradation policy by the Haryana Sports Department and now they are denying recognising it,” Dahiya claimed. 

“I had filled the cash award form in February this year, the application was resubmitted in July and now again last month. All other players were given the cash awards. I met the Sports Minister, Secretary (Sports) and Director (Sports), but to no avail,” he revealed.   

“My father underwent a bypass surgery and I thought of paying off the debt from the cash award, but the officials are just ignoring me, only for the reason that I approached the court after they denied me the job,” Dahiya added. 

Haryana Sports Department officials were not available for a comment. 

Dahiya also participated in the 2017 World Taekwondo Championship in Korea. “I had applied for the job in October 2018, but till now I have been only given false assurances,” rued Dahiya.