The point system isn't the only thing that matters.
The decision to hand Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and world champions weightlifter Mirabai Chanu the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award have caused some consternation among other athletes, most particularly grappler Bajrang Punia.
According to a report, Kohli was chosen despite scoring ‘zero’ points while Chanu earned 44 points. Meanwhile, wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat got a total of 80 points each and were among six others whose totals were more than Chanu. However, it should be noted that Chanu won the gold medal at World Weightlifting Championships. The award is generally reserved for those sportsmen performing at the pinnacle of their sport.
Despite the points system used for reference, the highest sports body decides the awards by votes.
Snubbed for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, star wrestler Bajrang Punia met Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and said he has been assured that his case will be looked into.
"I was supposed to meet the Minister today but suddenly we got a call last evening for the meeting. I asked the Minister about the reason for not considering me for the Khel Ratna. He said I didn't have enough points which is wrong. I have garnered more points than the two (Virat Kohli and Mirabai Chanu) who were nominated," Bajrang told PTI.
The 24-year-old wrestler, who won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, said if he doesn't get a favourable reply by evening, he will be forced to knock the doors of Court to get justice.Bajrang was accompanied by his mentor Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt during the meeting. "I have been wronged. I want justice. The Minister said he will look into the matter but there is hardly any time left for the award function. I will wait till evening for communication from the government's side. If I don't get a favourable reply by evening I will move court tomorrow," he added.
Besides gold medals at Gold Coast and Jakarta, Bajrang had won silver medals in the 2014 editions of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
He also has a 2013 World Championship bronze medal to his credit. But it did not come into consideration as the points system for giving away the award was introduced only in 2014.
Why Punia’s claims fall flat
It should be noted that the system has no points for cricket and neither does it for winners of other sports including tennis, shooting or golfing.
Only the churlish would argue against the awards to Kohli and Chanu. While Punia has been superlative, this India won a glut of golds in the Asian Games.
On the other hand, few can disagree with Kohli’s inclusion given the year he has had in all three formats of the game and is on his way to cement his place as perhaps the greatest batsman of all time. Chanu has golds in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the World Championships, proving she's at the pinaccle of her sport.
As WION sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo, who served in the committee in 2015 noted, points aren’t a guarantee of the award.
He wrote on Twitter: “I think sportspersons do not read the fine print or get carried away by this talk of points. Khel Ratna rules stipulate that a committee will not mechanically recommend the highest points for an award. Points only for comparison between two athletes in a sport.” He added that if anyone ought to feel aggrieved it would’ve been Srikanth Kidambi who had a fabulous year.
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will receive the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna on September 25, the Sports Ministry announced Thursday. The list was already out but the ministry made it official on Thursday.
Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was among 20 sportspersons picked for the Arjuna Awards, and they will be honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
On Wednesday, archery coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja was dropped from the list of Dronacharya award nominees due to a past case of indiscipline. Teja was among five coaches named by the selection committee for Dronacharya award but it came to light that he had served a one-year ban following an incident of indiscipline during the 2015 World University Games in Korea.
Kohli, the world's No.1 Test batsman as per the ICC rankings, has been in stupendous form in the past three years though he missed out of the top award despite nominations in 2016 and 2017. The 29-year-old Kohli has 6147 runs in 71 Tests with 23 centuries and 9779 runs in 211 ODIs, including 35 tons.
Chanu was chosen for the prestigious award following her gold medal in 48kg category at the World Championships last year. She also bagged the yellow metal in this year's Commonwealth Games but didn't compete at the Asian Games due to injury. The President will also present the Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awards on the same day.
With inputs from PTI
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