KOCHI: Lending credence to thoughts that the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has been largely ineffective in ensuring proper support to the athletes went to Rio, five members of the men's 4x400m relay team have written to the Sports Ministry, saying that they are yet to receive the amount promised to them as pocket money under the scheme.
Arokia Rajiv, Ayyasamy Dharun, Lalit Mathur, Mohan Kumar and Muhammad Kunhu were forced to write to the ministry asking for an intervention in this regard after repeated pleas to release the amount went unnoticed by officials concerned.A copy of the letter is in possession of Express.Muhammed Anas, another member of the relay squad who also qualified for the individual 400m, received `3.6 lakh immediately after the Olympics.
“Rio Olympics helped us gain international exposure. At the same time, no one should devalue our efforts. We gave our best and it's up to the countrymen to honour our efforts. We were assured that pocket money would be given for three months. On the basis of that we had planned things. Some of us wanted to build houses. Some were planning to repay debts. Delay in getting the money has poured water on our plans,” said one athlete.
Ministry sources acknowledged that they have received letters from the five athletes but declined to reveal the reason for the delay in payment.
As per TOPS, it was decided that a lakh per month would be released for three months ahead of the Games as pocket money.
The scheme was devised to provide athletes financial stability so that they could focus on training without hiccups.
However, most of the athletes received the amount in longer intervals and bigger amounts, some just ahead of Rio and some after that, thereby derailing the very purpose of such a scheme.
Efforts to contact TOPS officials, including Vivek Narayan (Director, Sports) were futile.
shan.as@newindianexpress.com