Salman to give each Olympic athlete a cheque of Rs 1,01,000 - Page 6

Ice Hockey India had to literally beg for funds:

We didn't even know India had an ice hockey team, did we?! Well, for last six years this team has been representing India at international tournaments and like many other non-cricketing sports, this team too, is facing an acute money crunch.

Unsuccessful in getting sponsors for the team, the squad literally was forced to scouting, prospecting and even 'begging' for money via the online media to participate at the Asia division leg of the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup in Kuwait.

Luger Shiva Keshavan received no sponsorship from India for the Sochi Olympics!

Shiva Keshavan (born August 25, 1981) is a five-time Olympian and the first Indian representative to compete in luge at the Winter Olympic Games.

Reuters

Reddit's Dogecoin community banded together to financially support his way to the Sochi Olympics when the four-time Olympic luger received no sponsorship from his own nation-India! Hindi films actors and Indian sports stars help raise around $14,600(Rs 9.1 lakhs) to help the Indian luger buy a world-class sled for Sochi Olympics.

Archer Nisha Rani sold her equipment due to poor financial conditions:

Nisha Rani Dutt won a Bronze in archery in the Bangkok Grand Prix back in 2008 and had to stop competing because of her family's poor financial conditions. All she got was a monthly stipend of Rs 500. She also had to sell off her equipment to help her family. The government was nowhere to help!

Track and Field: Athens special Olympic medalist sells 'gol gappe'

After making India proud by winning two bronze medals at the 2011 Athens special Olympics, Sita Sahu, a mentally challenged teenager from Rewa, today helps her mother sell 'gol gappas' in the streets. Official neglect has stopped the 15-year-old athlete's promising career in tracks.

The government had announced a cash prize of Rs 50,000 to the bronze winners, according to which she should have received Rs 1 lakh, her father says they are yet to get the promised reward.

Differently-abled champion athlete Indira Gaikwad, recipient of Maharashtra's highest sporting honour, had to sell her painstakingly earned medals as scrap to pay medical bills of her ailing mother. The state officials had promised to give her government job, but like many other promises, this too was forgotten. She has represented the state and the country in powerlifting, cycle-racing, shot put, discus and javelin-throwing, winning eight gold medals at various events in the process.

These boxers brought laurels to the nation, but were let down!

Sarita Devi, boxer, had to face a year's ban imposed by AIBA for refusing to accept her 2014 Asian Games bronze medal. Even though she dominated the game, her South Korean opponent Jina Parker was declared the winner. Sarita Devi believed, Parker had been given unfair advantage in their match and named winner in the 60kg lightweight category.

Reuters

None from the Indian contingent came to speak for her. She and her husband had to borrow money to lodge an appeal against the decision since the Indian authorities did not get involved. Even though some might feel that what she did was wrong, but we would like to believe that it was just an emotional outburst as she felt wronged and robbed of what she deserved, it was the only lapse in her 14-year long career, atleast the Indian authorities could have taken a stand for her!

Rishu Mittal, a gold medalist in boxing is forced to work as a domestic help to continue her schooling. She hails from Haryana's Kaithal and has won a gold medal in state level championship in 2014 in 46 kg category and represented Haryana during national games in Gwalior last December. Earlier she had won bronze medals in Bhivani and Faridabad in the year 2012 and 2013 respectively.