Jaspal Rana questions Sports Ministry, NRAI for ignoring Manu's credentials for Khel Ratna

Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker's coach criticizes Sports Ministry for ignoring her credentials for Khel Ratna award.

Double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker’s coach Jaspal Rana on Tuesday (December 24, 2024) castigated the Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India and the National Rifle Association of India, holding them responsible for “ignoring” his ward’s credentials for the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.

The champion shooter’s omission has sparked a controversy even though ministry sources have asserted that the names are yet to be finalised and her name will be there when the final list is released in a week’s time.

In August, Bhaker became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events.

“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, who was the personal coach of Manu when she won the medals at the Paris Games, told PTI.

“I can say that a wrong precedent is being set. Things like this can destroy an athlete’s confidence.” Reports of her omission from the national honours evoked shock with her family insisting that application was duly submitted.

“If this can shock the sports fraternity, if you are speaking to me regarding this, if people are writing about this, then how come the committee that decides the names fail to understand that she deserves the honour,” Rana asked.

“What is their job otherwise. Isn’t it to go through the performance of the athletes over the last cycle and then arrive at a conclusion and recommend the names. According to me this is not a mistake and this is not an oversight,” Rana said.