Foreign kayakers who won prizes at this year’s Malabar River Festival are still awaiting their payment, despite the organisers, the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS), assuring them of remuneration within 15 days, leaving them unpaid more than two months after the event.
Athletes from five countries and 10 Indian States had taken part in the festival and the International Whitewater Kayaking Championship held at Pulikkayam and Pulloorampara in upland Kozhikode from August 4 to 6 this year. Ava Christensen of the U.S. was the ‘Rapid Rani’ this year, having bagged the first place in the super finals and extreme slalom events. Mikhail Krutyansky from Israel bagged the third prize in the super final in the men’s category, while Heidi Walsh of the U.K. was the second prize winner in the women’s category of the super finals and the extreme slalom.
“We have provided their travel allowance. It is only the prize money that remains to be paid, due to some technical glitches,” said Binu Kuriakose, Chief Executive Officer of KATPS, that organised the festival.
The Tourism department had announced prize money worth ₹10 lakh for the winners in various categories. While the Indian athletes have all been paid in full, the foreign athletes are still waiting for their payment.
“There are certain rules associated with transferring the prize money to foreign athletes in events held in India. And, the Reserve Bank of India has changed rules since the previous festival. We have been following it up with the bank for the last two months,” said Mr. Kuriakose.
However, the participants refuse to believe that claim. “It is the Tourism department that is not being cooperative,” said a participant.
The issue is also affecting the participation of foreign athletes in the festival. “The delay in paying foreign athletes is a regular issue at the festival. But the payment has not been delayed beyond a month in the previous editions,” said Manik Taneja, technical director of the festival. “This issue is causing tremendous harm to the reputation of the festival and the credibility of Kerala and India as hosts,” he added.
