New Delhi: The sports ministry has dropped para-sports coach Satyanarayana from the list of this year’s Dronacharya awardees due to a criminal defamation case pending against him, but made no changes to the names recommended for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.
The decision means that tennis player Rohan Bopanna and weightlifter Sanjita Chanu will miss out on the Arjuna Awards despite the late push given to their names.
“Yes, we have removed the name of Satyanarayana since he has a case pending against him,” a sports ministry official told this agency, referring to a defamation case against the coach. “He has to clear his name first and only then he can be considered,” he added.
Satyanarayana has coached paralympic high-jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, who won a gold medal in the Rio Paralympics. Mariyappan is one among the 17 recommended for the Arjuna Award this year.
Satyanarayana, on his part has had written to the ministry August 13, saying that a few ‘jealous’ people had launched a campaign against him and he should be given a chance to clear his name.
Mariyappan had also written to the ministry, recommending Satyanarayana for the award. But the president of Clean Sports India (CSI), Ashwini Nachappa had earlier written August 6, objecting to Satyanarayana’s name.
Mails were sent out to the award winners Friday night after sports minister Vijay Goel cleared the file. The selection panel, appointed by the ministry had recommended 17 names. Goel had the discretion to add names if he wanted to, but he chose to go along with the recommendations of the four-member panel.
press trust of india
