New Delhi, 
August 1 (PTI): London Paralympics silver medallist H N Girisha on Wednesday accused the Sport Ministry for not keeping its promise of giving him a “Class-1 Executive Officer” job with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) after his achievement at the Paralympic Games last year.

“Before the Olympics, the Sports Ministry announced that whoever won a medal in London, would be given a Class-1 Executive Officer job in SAI. But I still haven’t got a job,” Girisha said.

After returning from London, the 25-year-old high-jumper applied for a job with SAI, which is a normal process, and was promised to be given one within six months. But a year has passed and he is yet to get any response from either SAI or the Sports Ministry.
Girisha also claimed that during the Padma Shri award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in January this year, he had met with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who promised to look into the matter.

But the Sports Ministry denied any such promise was made. “We did offer jobs to the Olympians but not for the paralympians,” a top Ministry official said. “But we have taken some people (para-athletes) as coaches (in SAI). I don’t think Girisha is suitable for a coaching job. And there is no such thing as ‘Class-1 Executive Officer’ job in SAI,” he added.