Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced Rs 3 crore prize money for all athletes from the state who will win gold medals. He added that silver medallists will be awarded Rs 2 crore, and bronze medals will be given Rs 1 crore. He also presented special incentives to athletes at the camp. For six athletes who are to participate in the Tokyo Olympics, the CM awarded Rs 5 lakh each. The announcement was to inspire Tamil Nadu’s athletes.
CM Stalin made the announcement while inaugurating a special vaccination camp for only athletes at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai, on Saturday. The vaccination camp was organised by the Chief Minister with the joint coordination of the Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department, Medical and Public Welfare department.
Stalin also announced six names of people who are competing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics – Nethra Kumanan, Varun A Thakkar and KC Ganapathy for sailing, G Sathyan and A Sarathkamal for Table Tennis, and Bhavani Devi for Fencing. In his speech, he also added the importance of team spirit in sports. “The government has the duty to encourage players who are going to face the world,” he added before announcing the prize money.
"#Olympics போட்டியில் தங்கப்பதக்கம் வெல்லும் வீரர்களுக்கு ரூ.3 கோடியும், வெள்ளி பதக்கம் வெல்லும் வீரர்களுக்கு ரூ.2 கோடியும், வெண்கல பதக்கம் வெல்லும் வீரர்களுக்கு ரூ.1 கோடியும் பரிசு வழங்கப்படும்;
— DMK (@arivalayam) June 26, 2021
சென்று வருக; தரணியை வென்று வருக"
- முதலமைச்சர் திரு.@mkstalin அவர்கள் உரை. pic.twitter.com/7HiX3svCRQ
The event was attended by Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs PK Sekar Babu; MLA of Chepauk - Thiruvallikeni legislative assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin; Sports Minister S Meyyanathan; MLA of Thousand Lights assembly constituency Dr N Ezhila, among others.
On International Olympics Day on Wednesday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that those who have won medals in international games will be given jobs in the Sports Department in order to encourage younger players to pursue competitive sports.
The 2020 Summer Olympics, which were scheduled to be held in Tokyo last year, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The international sporting event will now be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.