Grants will be given only if you play for the country: Sports ministry

Leander Paes

Play for nation to receive grants

The sports ministry has come down heavily on sportspersons who choose not to represent their nations. It comes in the backdrop of Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna and Somdev Devvraman withdrawing from the Incheon Asian Games after the Davis Cup tie against Serbia.

The trio instead focussed on the ATP tour to not miss out on ranking points. The ministry has made it clear that grants will be available to sportspersons only if they play for the country. India sent a second string team to Incheon after big guns backed out.

"It is again reiterated and made clear to all recognised National Sports Federations (NSF) that individual players will be able to avail grants given to them by the Ministry only if they undertake to play in the Indian team when called upon to do so without reservations," a Sports Ministry release stated.

"If there are specific exigencies because of which they are unable to play, this should be verified by the concerned NSF which thereupon can make an exception at their discretion," it added.

The sports ministry refused to divulge any names. Athletes will not be considered for funding from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) if they do not represent the nation in medal events.

"It was noticed, while finalising the Indian contingent for the Incheon Asian Games 2014, that senior and rank holding sportspersons of some sports disciplines decided to pull out, preferring to play in prize money tournaments instead of participating in the Asian Games giving the impression that such sportspersons do not take these sports competitions seriously.

"Multi-sports events are held once in four years and the nation takes pride in the number of medals won in these prestigious sports events," the release added.