Capt P.V.K. Mohan, president of International Billiards and Snooker Federation and also president of the National Federation of cue sports, wonders whether one could get a positive response from the Union Sports Ministry only if a champion athlete takes to the social networking sites.
“If that is the case, then someone like Pankaj Advani may not get any Award because he doesn't make any noise,” he remarked in an exclusive chat with 'The Hindu'.
“I get this feeling in the wake of Saina Nehwal episode. No one will dispute her achievements at the highest level. But if it was Saina yesterday, today it is boxer Vijender Singh. There has to be an end to all this," Capt Mohan feels.
Adding, “Let me put the record straight. Pankaj Advani got the Padma Sri Award in 2009, Sushil Kumar in 2011and Saina in 2010. Even in terms of seniority, Pankaj is the senior most and definitely deserving for the simple fact that he won an Asian Games gold and six World championship titles including four of them in 2014," the IBSF president points out.
“We are not here to dispute or challenge if anyone is given the Award. But, we do hope that the Union Sports Ministry sticks to its own guidelines and ensures that the deserving are not give shabby treatment Or else, we will be forced to presume since BSFI, which importantly complete all formalities in recommending the name of Pankaj Advani, is behaving in a gentlemanly manner, it would not get the Padma Bhushan Award for its best cue sports player,” he concludes.
