This is how you encourage sportspersons, asks SC

THE Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the Himachal Pradesh government for denying employment to Pooja Thakur, an Asian Games gold medallist, under the sports quota, asking "this is how you (state govt) encourage sportspersons?"

- SUCHITRA K MOHANTY

Thakur won the gold medal in kabaddi during the Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea in 2014. She was also awarded a silver medal in the 2015 National Games.

A bench of the apex comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took exception of the fact that a gold medallist was made to run from pillar to post for years seeking employment.

"This is how you encourage sports persons? Somebody won a gold medal in the Asian games of 2014; your chief minister should have a pragmatic approach... This is the approach of the state while dealing with the sports persons," the bench observed.