Asian Games | Indian contingent yet to receive daily allowance
While some of the competitions at this year's 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia have drawn to an end, the Indian athletes have not yet been compensated with their daily allowance of 50$. All the Indian athletes competing in Indonesia have been given Forex cards but no money has come in yet.
The Indian contingent that made their way to Indonesia for the 2018 edition of the Asian Games have amassed a total of 26 medals up until now. That tally includes six gold, five silver and 16 bronze medals across the various events that have taken place in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang who are co-hosting this year's Asian showpiece.
But reports have come in that none of the Indian athletes have been compensated with their daily allowance of 50$ until now as the various events at the Asian Games are drawing to an end. Palembang is co-hosting the Games with Jakarta and sports like tennis and shooting are being competed here.
The Indian participation in tennis is already over and the shooting events will end on Sunday. Athletes of these major sports, which have given India three gold medals so far are yet to get their financial compensation. Most of the tennis players and shooters have already departed for their next assignment on foreign shores. The Indian shooters have departed for the World Championships in Changwon while some tennis players including doubles gold medallists Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will be competing at the US Open in New York.
All the Indian athletes at the Asiad have been given a forex card but the money has not been wired in yet. BS Kushwaha, deputy chef de mission from the Indian Olympic Association, told PTI that the forex cards will be activated soon.
"The cards are to be activated from Delhi, not here. I am in constant touch with the IOA officials in Delhi and they said it will be done soon. It could be done by today evening," Kushwaha told PTI.
The allowance is sanctioned by the Sports Ministry but it is the responsibility of the IOA to ensure the athletes get the DA. While the delay doesn't impact the senior players much, the junior athletes are left in a limbo.
"Everything is taken care of in the Games Village but there are times you need the money. My point is that if you have to give the money anyway, why not do it at the start of the tournament? Most of the tennis players are gone, so what is the point if they load the card now," an Indian athlete told PTI on condition of anonymity.
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