On Monday, during the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, the Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) decided to remove the director of the taekwondo competition. This happened because there were claims of “fixing” in matches and medals. People said that results in 10 out of 16 weight categories were decided beforehand. Allegedly, medals were being sold, gold medal is for 3 lakh rupees, silver for less, and bronze for even less.
Director removed from National Games
The competition director, T Praveen Kumar, was removed after the Prevention of Manipulation of Competition (PMC) committee gave strong advice to do so. This committee, which included important people like R K Sudhanshu, B K Sinha, and Dushyant Sharma, looked into the complaints. They reported their findings and made recommendations.
A member of the PMC said “Based on credible information from various sources, we made recommendations to the GTCC.” The GTCC chairperson, Sunaina Kumari, confirmed the decision, saying, “To maintain the integrity of the Games, we have accepted the PMC’s recommendations.” The panel also found that Kumar had unfairly given roles to friends and others for the selection trials.
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IOA President PT Usha says its shocking
President of the Indian Olympic Association, PT Usha, was very upset about this scandal. She said in a release: “It is shocking and sad that National Games medals were allegedly decided even before the competition began.” She emphasized the importance of fair play, adding that “fair play must be upheld to ensure athletes get a genuine chance to compete at the highest level.” The taekwondo events, which include Kyorugi and Poomsae competitions, will be held at Milam Hall, Haldwani, from Tuesday to Saturday. To stop any more problems, the PMC panel suggested changing the competition director and some technical officials.
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