Father of Swapnil Kusale, the bronze medalist shooter in the Paris Olympics, Suresh Kusale expressed displeasure over the Maharashtra government’s decision to pay his son Rs 2 crore in prize money. 

Citing the example of the Haryana government, Suresh Kusale claimed, “The Haryana government gives Rs 5 crore to its each (Olympics medal winning) player (Haryana gives Rs 6 crore to a gold medallist, Rs 4 crore to silver medallist, Rs 2.5 crore to bronze winner). So why only Rs 2 crore to Swapnil for winning a medal in the Paris Olympics?"

According to its new policy, the Maharashtra government has decided to bestow Rs 2 crore on an Olympics bronze medalist. Suresh Kusale asked the media, "Why does the state form such criteria when Swapnil was only the second individual Olympic medal winner from Maharashtra (after wrestler K D Jadhav in 1952) in 72 years?”

Swapnil Kusale, who hails from Kolhapur, won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in the 50m rifle 3 positions event in August. The 29-year-old’s father said his son deserves Rs 5 crore prize money and a flat near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune!