Athletes' income row: Backlash forces Haryana CM to put notification on hold

After drawing flak from the athletes and opposition parties, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has put on hold the notification ordering state athletes to deposit one-third of their income from 'professional sports or commercial endorsements' into the account of Haryana State Sports Council. Khattar, while ordering the stay, also assured the sportspersons of a 'just consideration of all issues affecting them'.

"I have asked for the relevant file of Sports Department to be shown to me & the notification dated 30th April to be put on hold till further orders. We are proud of the immense contribution by our sportspersons & I assure them of a just consideration of all issues affecting them," said CM Khattar on Twitter.

In one of its kind bizarre order which created controversy, a gazette notification signed by the Haryana Government Principal Secretary Ashok Khemka, the government has asked the athletes to deposit one-third of their commercial earnings into Haryana State Sports Council' account.


"The sportspersons shall be accorded extraordinary leave (without pay) during the said period. One-third of the income earned by the sportspersons from professional sports or commercial endorsements will be deposited with the Haryana State Sports Council. The money shall be used for the development of sports in the state," read the notification.

The rule was aimed for sportspersons employed in any department of the Haryana government.

The notification further read, "In case the sportsperson is treated on durty with the prior approval of the competent authority while taking part in professional sports or commercial endorsements, the full income earned by the sportsperson on this account will be deposited with the Haryana State Sports Council".

The notification has drawn flak from the many athletes including Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and wrestler Babita Phogat.

"I am saddened by notification. It seems as if illiterate people are making policies. Do they not know that we're already paying taxes on money we win in competitions. If this is how things are going to work the medal count will go down," said Phogat.

Asking for a review of the policy, Sushil Kumar said, "This policy should be reviewed. The government should establish a committee of senior sportspersons & take their input before forming a policy of this type. This will affect the morale of sportspersons & might affect their performance as well".