A day after after weightlifter Achinta Sheuli created history by securing a gold medal in Men’s 73kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2022, his brother Alok lashed out at the West Bengal government over the lack of financial support.
While speaking to news agency ANI on Monday (August 1), he informed, “…Nobody knows that a boy from our village participated in CWG. Even (the) state’s Sports minister seems ignorant, we need government support.”
“We are yet to see how much money will they give for it,” remarked Alok Sheuli. Despite having a cricketer (Manoj Tiwary) as the State’s Sports Minister, the ace weightlifter did not receive any support from the West Bengal government.
The situation was so grim that Achinta Sheuli had considered playing for any State, other than West Bengal.
In an interview with Telegraph India in February 2020, the weightlifter had lamented, “So far, I’ve got no financial support from West Bengal State Weightlifting Association or from the state government. This lack of support has already made matters tougher for me…It can’t go on in this manner and something needs to be done.”
“So the only way I can address this problem is by representing another state. I haven’t yet taken a call on which state I’ll be representing in the near future. But yeah, I’m certainly weighing my options as the likes of Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur are there as alternatives,” he pointed out.
“They provide better support. As far as I know, all other states do what’s required in order to ensure their weightlifters benefit. But it’s not the case here in West Bengal,” Achinta Sheuli had said in 2020.
However, this did not stop West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to appear concerned for the 20-year-old after he had secured a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Despite providing negligible support, the CM tweeted, “Truly a proud moment for all of us as the young AchintaSheuli from West Bengal wins the third gold medal at CWG, 2022.”
Achinta Sheuli brought accolades for India on Sunday (July 31) night by lifting a total weight of 313 kg (snatch 143 kg and clean & jerk 170 kg). Born and raised in a poor family, the gold medalist had to take on embroidery early on in his life to sustain his family.
His brother Alok Sheuli, also a weightlifter, played a crucial role in his life to support his dream to represent India. Reportedly, Achinta was being paid a ₹10000 stipend each month by the Centre after he won gold medal in Khelo India Games. He was also provided with the job of a Havildar in the Indian army.