CM Dhami, students left stunned as national gold medalist exposes ₹1.5 lakh bribe demand in sports selections
SUNIL NEGI
DEHRADUN: The entire hall fell into pin-drop silence on Monday when a young Taekwondo player, a national Gold medalist from a modest background, narrated before Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami how she was denied a chance to participate in international tournaments despite being eligible because selectors in Jammu and Kashmir had demanded ₹1.5 lakh as bribe. The athlete, who had come to share her experience in the presence of the Chief Minister, his entourage, the student community and media persons, must have definitely felt proud to finally get a public forum to speak about a system that she alleged does not encourage deserving sportswomen but instead discourages them by demanding money. For a few moments even the Chief Minister appeared at a loss for words and only asked her to take her seat, with no immediate assurance being given to her.
The episode has once again brought the focus back on allegations of widespread corruption in Uttarakhand’s sports machinery, particularly in selection processes and in institutions like the Uttarakhand Cricket Academy where several aspiring cricketers claim they have suffered similarly.
The incident comes against the backdrop of several credible complaints that have emerged from the state’s sports ecosystem in the past two years. During the 38th National Games held in Uttarakhand in February 2025, the National Games Technical Conduct Committee removed the Director of Competition for Taekwondo after allegations that results in 10 of the 16 weight categories had been decided even before the competition began. The Indian Olympic Association informed the committee that officials appointed by the Taekwondo Federation of India had allegedly fixed winners in exchange for bribes, with the asking rate being ₹3 lakh for a gold medal, ₹2 lakh for silver and ₹1 lakh for bronze. The Prevention of Manipulation of Competition Committee had recommended replacing half the technical officials and video recording all bouts to protect the integrity of the Games. IOA President PT Usha had then called it a shameful act that went against the spirit of fair competition. In the same National Games, the Kerala Olympic Association alleged that the host state had “bought” the gold medal in netball and claimed that the Netball Federation had demanded ₹10 lakh from each Uttarakhand player with a guarantee of gold, prompting a demand for a rematch under supervision.
At the same time, the Uttarakhand Cricket Association has been under scrutiny after petitions in the High Court alleged large-scale misuse of government funds. An audit for 2024-25 reportedly showed ₹35 lakh spent on bananas for players, ₹6.4 crore on event management and ₹26.3 crore on tournaments and trials, while players complained of not receiving daily allowance and food during matches. Former players have also alleged extortion and threats, leading to police questioning of senior CAU office-bearers. Observers point out that for many athletes from humble families, the barrier is not talent but money, and that unless a transparent grievance redressal mechanism is put in place, such stories will continue to surface. The silence that followed the Taekwondo player’s statement in the presence of the Chief Minister has only underlined how deep the frustration runs among sportspersons who feel the system is stacked against merit.
