By Bibek Shrestha,Kathmandu, Oct. 16: The government awarded prize money to the athletes, coaches and managers who won medals at the 20th Asian Games.
In accordance with the Sports Development Regulations, the government deposited the prize money into the accounts of the medal-winning karateka Tenzing Sherpa and the women's kabaddi team, as well as their respective coaches and managers.
The Council of Ministers had previously decided on October 9 to award prizes to the medal-winning athletes. Accordingly, Tenzing received Rs. 650,000, head coach Kushal Shrestha received Rs. 130,000, and manager Yuvraj Lama received Rs. 65,000.
Similarly, each player on the kabaddi team received Rs. 195,000; head coach Parbati Rai received Rs. 130,000; and assistant coach Lok Bahadur Bista and manager Sharad Darshanadhari each received Rs. 65,000.
While the swift transfer of cash prizes into the accounts of the 20th Asian Games medalists has earned praise for government efficiency, a deep-seated controversy over the underlying reward criteria has exposed systemic fractures within Nepal’s sports governance.
At the centre of the dispute is a newly revised directive that slashes cash rewards by 50 percent for athletes competing in sports that do not feature international qualification tournaments.
The policy shift has drawn sharp criticism from sports administrators and national athletes, who label the provision an arbitrary degradation of podium achievements.
Under the amended working procedure, athletes who secure medals after passing through international qualifiers receive full cash incentives (Rs. 1.3 million), while those winning medals in disciplines without an international qualifier framework receive only half.
For bronze medalist Tenzing Sherpa, who brought glory to Nepal in karate and received Rs. 650,000, the policy translates into a stark reality. Despite completing rigorous domestic selection trials and earning a legitimate podium finish under the national flag, his reward was reduced by half prior to tax deductions.
He remarked on his social media, "I was not handed a wildcard, nor did I bypass national selection," Sherpa expressed in a public statement. "If the international federation for a sport does not mandate a qualifier, why are the athletes penalised? Had I been told beforehand that I would be treated as a 'Grade B' athlete, I would have set my expectations accordingly."
The policy reportedly recommended by senior advisors and ratified under the Ministry of Youth and Sports has ignited intense backlash from national sports governing bodies.
Yubraj Lama, President of the Nepal Karate Federation (NKF) and former Member-Secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC), characterised the amendment as a fundamental misinterpretation of international sports structures.
According to sports administrators, qualification guidelines for major multisport events like the Asian Games or Olympic Games are established exclusively by the respective International Federations (IFs), rather than uniformly imposed by bodies like the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
Distinguishing between sports based on non-existent international qualifier requirements, critics argue, creates an artificial and unfair hierarchy among national athletes.
Beyond the financial disparity, the controversy brings to light broader concerns regarding transparency and systemic accountability in Nepali sports administration.
Observers and sports officials have questioned the silence of key federations and media outlets on the matter, suggesting that institutional dependence on government funding often deters stakeholders from challenging policy flaws.
Lama warned that institutionalising discrimination within reward policies damages athlete morale and compromises the principle of sport justice.
"Modifying procedures to diminish the value of a national athlete’s blood and sweat sets a dangerous precedent," he stated, calling for an immediate policy review.
Dhurba Bikram Malla, president of Balaju Karate-Do Academy, recalled the 17th Asian Games, where karateka Bimala Tamang received Rs. 1 million for winning a bronze medal. The then prime minister, Sushil Koirala, presented the reward at an event organised at the prime minister’s residence.
Malla questioned why the government had awarded only Rs. 650,000 for a bronze medal comparatively much lesser amid economic instabilities than the prize awarded 12 years ago, while also raising concerns about the absence of a formal event to recognise the athletes’ achievements.
Dr Om Prakash Prasain, one of the vice president of NKF, also criticised the revised policy on social media.
He argued that awarding full incentives to athletes competing in sports with international qualifying tournaments while halving the rewards for those in disciplines without such requirements created an unjustified distinction among athletes.
Questioning the government’s expenditure on official delegations to international sporting events, Prasain said, “The state spent millions sending large official delegations, but who delivered medals despite that massive investment? The very karate and kabaddi players who have been working day and night with limited resources.”
Spokespersons for the concerned ministry could not be reached for comment.
As Nepal seeks greater success on the international sporting stage, the controversy highlights the need for transparent and consistent reward criteria that recognise athletes’ achievements fairly, regardless of the qualification systems governing their respective sports.
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