Dutee Chand accuses Odisha govt of neglecting athletes; Dilip Tirkey reacts

Bhubaneswar: Ace sprinter and India’s ‘fastest’ woman Dutee Chand courted controversy as she took a dig at the Odisha Government accusing it of neglecting athletes and athletics.

In a Facebook post in Odia language, Dutee said the government was busy in creating infrastructure worth crores for all sports persons except athletes.

She also alleged that the government was spending crores of rupees for the National Hockey Team but nothing for athletics.

However, Dutee later deleted the Facebook post.

Dutee’s post drew sharp criticism as former international hockey player Dilip Kumar Tirkey condemned her statement.

“As a sports person I strongly condemn this kind of statement from another sportsman who herself belongs to Odisha. Odisha Government has always given importance to all sports be it Hockey or be it athletics,” tweeted Tirkey.

“Bagging medal in Olympic is not everyone’s cup of tea. Why Bhubaneswar (Odisha) is known as the sports capital of India that everyone knows very well,” he said.

“And if people really don’t know then they should know that Hockey is the game which has given recognition to India in International level. This comment is unparliamentary and discouraging for the fellow athletes,” he added.

Bagging medal in Olympic is not everyone’s cup of tea. Why Bhubaneswar (Odisha) is known as the sports capital of India that everyone knows very well.

— Dilip Kumar Tirkey (@DilipTirkey) March 25, 2022

And lastly being a player one should learn to give respect to other players.

— Dilip Kumar Tirkey (@DilipTirkey) March 25, 2022

The Odisha Cricket Association in a statement also condemned Dutee’s post.