Elite athletes fail to settle INR 8 Crore in TOPS bills
Several athletes are believed to be Olympic medal winners.
Wrestlers and weightlifters are believed to be among the athletes that are yet to settle their bills. (Representative image)
The Mission Olympic Cell’s (MOC) meeting on Wednesday confronted some revelations that can only be deemed as startling.
According to media reports that emanated through the course of the day, it is understood that numerous elite athletes have failed to furnish travel bills that collectively amount to about INR 8 crore.
The findings, according to PTI, emerged after an internal assessment by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
🚨#News | Elite Indian athletes have failed to settle bills under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to the tune of INR 8 Crore 🚨
— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) April 30, 2025
👉 The findings emerged after an internal assessment by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) & were discussed in the 155th meeting of the… pic.twitter.com/gdWcmiwFHA
Reports indicate that several athletes under the target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) have failed to settle their accounts.
The Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), at its 155th meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday is believed to have discussed certain corrective measures that are to be implemented. Thes could well include deductions in cash awards and deductions from subsequent proposals.
A report by the Hindustan Times, went a step further and stated that over “300 elite athletes” had failed to furnish travel bills and that the list included several Olympic medal winners.
Its report stated that the names of wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and shuttler Saina Nehwal came up in the MOC meeting as having failed to submit bills for amounts granted to them under the TOPS scheme.
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