Sports ministry delays awards announcement

Though double trap shooter Ronjon Singh Sodhi has been recommended for the Khel Ratna.

The official announcement of the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards was once again delayed as the sports minister Jitendra Singh decided to buy more time to take a final decision on whether or not womens discus thrower Krishna Poonia and former volleyball skipper Tom Josephs name should be included.

Though double trap shooter Ronjon Singh Sodhi has been recommended for the Khel Ratna,Poonias demand to be considered as a joint winner has been backed by a section of the politicians and sportspersons,including wrestlers Sushil Kumar,Yogeshwar Dutt and Virender Sehwag.

2002 scenario

It is learnt that the sports ministry was ready to release the official list on Tuesday evening but it was postponed as a 2002-scenario,where athlete KM Beenamol and shooter Anjali Bhagwat were declared joint winners of the Khel Ratna,was being considered. Beenamol was initially declared the recipient of the Khel Ratna but Bhagwats name was added later.

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Poonia has got the backing of Deepinder Singh Hooda,the Congress MP from Rohtak,who it is learnt,met the sports minister on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day,SAI director general,Jiji Thomson had also met the minister. Thomson,who wrote a note of dissent when volleyball player Tom Josephs name was omitted from the Arjuna awardees original list of 16 in the last minute,has left it to the minister to take a final call. MPs from Kerala have also backed the inclusion of Joseph in the final list that will have the approval of the sports minister.

Exactly a week back,the Arjuna awards committee headed by Michael Ferriera had put forward Sodhis name for the Khel Ratna award. Also 15 athletes names were recommended for the Arjuna Awards. Of the early favourites for the Khel Ratna,Poonia and Paralympic Games silver medallist HN Girisha went public with their disappointment.