Paris Olympic Medalist Manu Bhaker has finally broken silence and spoken on the controversy surrounding her exclusion from the nominees for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
In a social media statement on Tuesday, she said there has been a lapse, ‘maybe’ on her part in filing for the nomination.
Bhaker requested people to not speculate on the matter, saying that ‘awards and recognition’ were only a source of motivation and not her goal. She added that ‘irrespective of the award’ she wants to win more medals for the country.
— Manu Bhaker🇮🇳 (@realmanubhaker) December 24, 2024
“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,” Manu Bhaker wrote in a post on X.
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The controversy raged when reports in India suggested that Bhaker, who won two historic Bronze medals in Paris and became the first Indian to win two awards in one Olympics, was excluded from the list of Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardees.
Earlier, her coach, Jaspal Rana castigated the Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India and the National Rifle Association of India. In an interview with PTI, he vowed to hold them responsible for ‘ignoring’ his ward for the highest sporting honor in India.
“I will hold all of them responsible. How can anyone even say Manu did not apply? She made history by becoming the first Indian to win two Olympic medals in the same Olympics. Her name should have been there automatically. Don’t the people at the helm know who Manu Bhaker is and what are her credentials? This humiliation might just affect her progress,” Rana said.
Bhaker’s father Ram Kishan Bhaker has also defended her youngster publically, saying she had followed the due process.
