Paris Olympics double bronze-medallist Manu Bhaker admitted on Tuesday (December 24) to a possible lapse on her part in filing nominations for this year’s National Sports Awards, amid controversy over her exclusion from the Khel Ratna awardees list.

A day after the sports ministry had to step in to do damage control after the awards selection committee shockingly did not recommend her name, the 22-year-old pistol ace took to social media to clarify her position.

‘Lapse’

“With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award — I would like to state that as an athlete my role is to play and perform for my country.

“I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected,” Bhaker wrote on X.

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Aim

Bhaker said her aim is to perform for the country whether she gets an award or not.

“Awards and recognition keeps me motivated but are not my goal,” she asserted.

“Irrespective of the award I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country. It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this,” she said.

Sports Ministry lambasted

This was after her personal coach Jaspal Rana and father Ramkishan Bhaker lambasted the sports ministry and the selection committee for overlooking her despite her monumental achievements.

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The youngster is the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics.

She won her bronze medals in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team (with Sarabjot Singh) events in Paris.

(With agency inputs)