It may be noted that Odisha bagged 58 medals (10 gold, 18 silver, 30 bronze) to finish 16th in the 37th National Games, held in Goa from 25 October to 9 November 2023. Though Odisha won more gold medals and secured higher position in the overall medal tally at the Uttarakhand Games, the total number of medals was 12 less than the previous edition.

Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj attended the felicitation ceremony event as the chief guest. He praised the achievements of the athletes and described them as the pride of the State. He also stated that the State government will continue to provide all necessary support for the development of sports in Odisha.

Principal Secretary Bhaskar Jyoti Sharma, Director Deepankar Mahapatra, Additional Secretary Bijay Kumar Swain, Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Panda, senior officials and representatives from various sports associations were present at the function.

But the felicitation ceremony, which made the athletes richer, and deservingly so, left an important segment of the Odisha contingent heart-broken. The coaches and support staff, who also played important roles in Odisha winning all these medals, were not given a penny.

“It was a kind of humiliation for us. We groomed the athletes for years and helped them win the medals, but were not considered for cash awards. Was our contribution insignificant?,” asked an aggrieved coach, who did not want to be named.

“This is really unfortunate and unfair. It makes coaching a thankless job. Coaches and support staff are vital cogs in the wheels of the sports system. If the government ignores their contribution they will obviously feel disheartened and lose their enthusiasm to work,’’ opined a sports observer.