Kathmandu, October 15
Karate athlete Tenzing Sherpa, who won a bronze medal for Nepal at the 20th Asian Games, has expressed dissatisfaction with the prize money awarded by the government.
Sherpa said he received only half of the amount he was entitled to under the Sports Regulations, after tax deductions, prompting him to question the government’s treatment of medal-winning athletes.
In a social media post, he said athletes who won medals for the country at the same competition had been treated differently.
“There would have been a different matter if I had competed in the Asian Games through a wild card or without going through the selection process. But I completed the selection process in Nepal, qualified and represented the country. Why should the value of our hard work, sacrifices and victories differ when we compete for the country?” he asked.
Tenzing Sherpa said his concern was not primarily about money but about ensuring that his efforts and medal received fair recognition.
“I have a humble question for those responsible for making and implementing the rules. Is it fair to distinguish between athletes in this way? How justifiable is it to treat athletes differently when awarding prizes, even though they compete for the country at the same event, in the same sport, under the same flag and with the same dream of winning a medal?” he wrote.
Sherpa said it was disheartening to have to question the recognition and value of the medal he had won.
“We felt proud when we won medals for our country. Today, having to question the respect and recognition given to those very medals has left me somewhat disappointed,” he wrote. “I hope the concerned authorities will understand my feelings and make a fair decision on this matter.”
At the 20th Asian Games, held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, Nepal won bronze medals through Sherpa in karate and the women’s kabaddi team.
Under the Sports Regulations, an athlete winning an individual bronze medal is entitled to a reward of Rs 1.3 million. However, athletes who win medals at the Asian Games without going through the selection process are entitled to only half that amount. As a result, Sherpa received only half of the prescribed reward despite winning bronze for Nepal.
Similarly, each member of Nepal’s women’s kabaddi team was entitled to Rs 390,000 for winning a team bronze medal but received only half that amount.
Although the government deposited the Asian Games prize money into the athletes’ bank accounts promptly this time, medal winners have expressed dissatisfaction with the amounts they received.
