The Manu Bhaker-Khel Ratna saga explained: Everything you need to know about the controversy involving the Paris Olympics bronze medalist

Manu Bhaker and the Sports Ministry have been the centre of a major controversy over the course of the past two days. The controversy has stemmed from the fact that the shooter wasn't named in the list of recommended athletes for the Khel Ratna, despite having won two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

Amidst the discussion, Bhaker’s father added further fuel to the fire when he revealed that the Olympic medalist was heartbroken over the snub. However, the shooter later issued a clarification statement, asking fans to stop speculating on the issue. With that, here's the breakdown of the Manu Bhaker-Khel Ratna controversy.

Manu Bhaker’s Paris Olympics performance

Manu Bhaker had an incredible run at the Paris Olympics. She began her campaign with a bronze-medal finish in the women's 10m air pistol event on July 28. A handful of days later, Bhaker added another medal to her tally when she finished third in the mixed 10 metre air pistol team event alongside compatriot Sarabjot Singh.

This performance made the 22-year-old the first Indian to clinch two medals at the same Games post-independence.

Bhaker's shocking non-inclusion in list of nominees for the Khel Ratna

Since the Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker has skyrocketed to fame and established herself as a household name in the nation. On Monday, December 23, controversy erupted for the Sports Ministry after the list of recommendations for the Khel Ratna was made public, and Bhaker's name was notably missing.

The ministry stated that Bhaker had failed to apply for the award, while adding that the list of awardees hadn't been finalized yet.

Bhaker's father’s media outburst

As a result of Manu Bhaker's non-inclusion on the list of recommendations for the Khel Ratna, the shooter’s father made his disappointment over the situation abundantly clear. Speaking to PTI, he said he regretted encouraging his daughter to pursue an Olympic sport, saying:

"It is also my fault that I encouraged Manu into sports. To the entire country's parents, I would like to say don't get your kids into sports but if you need money then get them into cricket and if you need power then make them IAS/ IPS or UPSC aspirants.”

The Olympic medalist’s father also stated that the shooter was heartbroken over the development, telling The Times of India:

“I spoke to Manu, and she was disheartened by all this. She told me, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. In fact, I shouldn’t have become a sportsperson’."

Manu Bhaker clears the air

With the controversy raging as fans slammed the Sports Ministry over the apparent snub, Manu Bhaker took the time to clear the air. Taking to X, the shooter stated that awards were not her goal, and that her non-inclusion on the list of recommended athletes could have been her fault.

Her post read:

“With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award- I would like to state that as an athlete my role is to play and perform for my country. Awards and recognition keeps me motivated but are not my goal. I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected. Irrespective of the award I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country. It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this matter.”

Where does Manu Bhaker go from here?

While Manu Bhaker hasn't been named in the list of recommended athletes for the Khel Ratna, the finalized list of winners isn't out yet. Previously, exceptions have been made for deserving athletes who didn't apply for the award. In such cases, the awards committee reserved the right to make considerations. Last year, fast bowler Mohammed Shami failed to apply for the Arjun Award but was bestowed with the honor nonetheless given his contributions to the sport.

However, an awards committee member spoke to the Hindustan Times anonymously, and revealed that rules have been changed this time around. As a result of these changes, there is a mandate to only consider athletes who have applied for the awards. It remains unclear if Bhaker will receive India's highest sporting honor this year, despite having had an incredible season.