After securing Olympic berth, Heena Sidhu shoots down Sports Ministry
Moments after winning the Olympic quota and the Gold medal in the 10M Women’s Air Pistol event in the Asia Olympic qualifying competition at Tughlakabad, on Wednesday, Indian shooting star Heena Sidhu targeted the Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) saying the scheme has created more problems than solutions for athletes.
The Sports ministry, had earlier reportedly rejected Heena Sidhu’s proposal to take her husband-cum-coach Ronak Pandit for a training stint abroad. The shooter targeted the Ministry's for its refusal to allow Ronak Pandit on her training trips and confirmed that she will prepare for Olympics without his services.
"The ministry won't understand his importance as my personal coach. He has helped me remain positive under difficult times. He has been a big source of inspiration for me. But, the ministry thinks that he is not an important part of my training, being my husband. They can stop him from accompanying me but not me from performing well," she said, reported DNA.
The 26-year old pistol shooter also said that the Ministry has delayed the funding for her preparations and considers winning a medal as an easy job.
"The ministry officials think that it's very easy to win an Olympic medal. They believe that not much preparation is needed to qualify for the Olympics, World Championships or any other major international tournament.
Talking about my case, there has been a delay of four to six months in clearing the payments under TOPS. I have spent some Rs 55 lakh on my Rio Olympic preparation, but the ministry has only disbursed Rs 30 lakh so far. There is no news about when I'll get those remaining Rs. 25 lakh. Definitely, wrong has been happening with me," Sidhu said.
India’s lone Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra also supported Sidhu’s claims and said that the issue with the TOP scheme was its implementation.
"It is a very well-meaning programme. It's just that the delivery is sometimes a problem. The government has its own rules and regulations," Bindra said, reported PTI.
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