Archer Yumi Sorang alleges Nepotism in SAA: Surrenders her medals and certificates

ITANAGAR: Last month the ace archer Sorang Yumi alleged the Sports Authority of Arunachal for indulging in corruption. Having started her sports career in 2006 and flew high for the victory and in the year 2013, she with her partner had won bronze in the international game held in Mongolia, in the year 2016 at Bangkok she had won Bronze again. 

Reportedly, Yumi has bagged 20 medals so far for the state, including a gold medal and a silver medal in the National Games held in Kerala in 2015, besides two international medals.

And on 7th September 2021, Sorang has once again accused the sports department and the Sports Authority of Arunachal (SAA) of indulging in nepotism and abuse of power in the recent appointment of archery coach, gold and silver medals winner in the National Games, Sorang Yumi on Tuesday returned her medals and certificates to the Arunachal Archery Association as a mark of protest.

Addressing a press conference at the press club here, Yumi accused Sports Director Tadar Apa of abusing his power by appointing his brother-in-law, one Taba Nikia, as the archery coach. Yumi said that she has been deprived of the job in spite of her meritorious achievements in archery and her having the requisite degree for the post of archery coach.

The sports director had given an advertisement for walk-in interviews for six posts of coaches in various disciplines on 29 December 2020, under the Khelo India Centre scheme, especially for former champion athletes.

Further, Yumi stated, “As per the Khelo India scheme, the first preference should be given to individual and team sportspersons who represented India at recognized international competitions under-recognized state associations of the respective sports,”

Yumi alleged that she being first Arunachalee to win the team gold medal in the National Games and also the first and only archer to win an individual silver medal in the National Games for Arunachal Pradesh was deprived of the platform that she deserved.

She further claimed that Taba Nikia is her junior who has not won a single medal at either the national or the international level.

Yumi has lodged an FIR with the vigilance department against the sports director. She alleged that the director maliciously introduced “tactics and techniques” in the scoresheet evaluation just to deny her the post in order to appoint his brother-in-law.

She was compelled to come before the media to bring the injustice inflicted on her in the public domain so that no meritorious sportsperson should be deprived in the future,” 

She also alleged that the director had denied her the opportunity to participate in the Asian Games, and said that the state’s archery association is yet to give her certificates for five medals. Yumi further claimed that the sports department did not put her name on the list for incentives which the department recently disbursed to meritorious sportspersons.

She has also filed an FIR with the SIC against SAA Director Gumnya Karbak, alleging that Karbak appointed her junior Tash Kara as an instructor, denying her the post.

Yumi’s relative Sorang Tada appealed to the state government to look into the matter, and requested for immediate action against the sports director “for abusing power and misusing his position.”

It was said that Sports Director Tadar Apa did not deny the accusation splashed against him by Yumi. He informed that the government ordered “re-evaluation of the results of a coach in archery.”

The matter was evaluated again and clarification was sent to the director-general of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and the department is awaiting a reply from the SAI, he said.

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