Differently abled sportspersons who on Friday participated in the district-level sports event held at the Ramakrishna Mission ground at Periyanaickenpalayam protested saying that the prize money the organiser, Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority, had offered was pittance.
Surya Nagappan of Caliber, an organisation for the challenged, said that the first prize the Authority offered Rs. 70, the second Rs. 50 and the third Rs. 30, which was not enough to cover even the travel expenses the participants and their helpers incurred.
The Authority had as per the State Government instruction conducted around 15 competitions that included track and field events for all categories of differently abled. This was an annual event.
Mr. Nagappan said that the prize money offered to winners of events in Para Olympics was the same as in Olympics. When sportspersons at the international events were not being discriminated against, why should the Tamil Nadu Government.
He said that protestors raised slogans and refused to participate.
Sources in the Authority said that only a few differently abled protested. They explained that what the Authority handed out as prize was based on the State Government instruction. Neither it nor the district administration had any authority to increase the prize, which was uniform across the State. If the differently abled were upset, they could approach the Government for redress.
