Sakshi Malik slams Haryana government over failure to fulfil promises made after Rio Olympics bronze

New Delhi: Olympics bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik on Saturday claimed that she has not yet received the incentives promised to her by the Haryana government after her historic medal at the Rio Games. “Medal ka vada maine pura kiya_, Haryana sarkar_ apna vada kab pura karegi_?_ (I fulfilled my promise of winning an Olympic medal for the country, when will Haryana government fulfill its promise?)” tweeted Sakshi.

“Announcements made by Haryana Government after my OLYMPIC MEDAL win were for MEDIA ONLY ?” she further posted on her Twitter handle.

Cash rewards and incentives amounting to at least Rs 3.5 crore were announced by the Haryana government after Sakshi created history at the Rio Games last year by becoming the first woman wrestler from India to win an Olympic medal.

Government of Haryana — Sakshi’s state — had announced before Olympics Rs 6 crore for gold medallists, Rs 4 crore for silver and Rs 2.5 crore for bronze winners. The 24-year-old girl from Rohtak had clinched a bronze medal in the 58kg freestyle category.

At Rio, Sakshi had fought her way back in almost all her matches, including her bronze medal play-off where she beat Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan 8-5 in the dying minutes. Her medal gained, even more weight coming as it did on the heels of India’s medalless showing at the Rio Olympics until then. Her medal also saved the blushes of the much vaunted Indian wrestling contingent at Rio. Out of eight wrestlers who made it to Brazil for the Games, only Sakshi did not return home empty-handed