₹1.5 Lakh ‘Bribe’ or Self-Funded Cost? Taekwondo Player Issues Clarification over Allegation (WATCH)

A national-level Taekwondo player alleged to Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami that she was asked for INR 1.5 lakh for international selection, an incident that went viral. She later clarified that the amount was the self-funded portion of the expenses for a tournament in Romania, not a bribe.

A national-level Taekwondo player has expressed her deep anguish to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami after she was allegedly asked to pay INR 1.5 lakh to secure her selection at the international level, despite winning gold at the national championship.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met school students as a part of ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Vidyarthi Manthan’ (Chief Minister Youth Student Conclave), where students of 11 and 12 from all 2828 registered government, non-government and private institutions and colleges participated in the programme.

The initiative aims to provide students with a platform to share their ideas, suggestions and concerns directly with the government, with Pushkar Singh Dhami listening to participants' grievances and outlining the state’s administration’s commitment to empower youth through educational and career opportunities.

Taekwondo Player Breaks Down Over Allegations

As Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami interacted with students, the event took a controversial turn after a Taekwondo player raised allegations of being asked to pay an amount for her participation at the international level.

In a video that went viral on social media, a girl stood up and revealed that she recently won the gold medal at the national level, but was asked to pay INR 1.5 lakh for her selection to compete at the international level. The Taekwondo player broke down while explaining that the alleged that the demand left her unable to represent India.

“Recently, I participated in the Taekwondo nationals, where I won a gold medal. From there, I have secured selection for international events, but they were demanding money, INR 1.5 lakh rupees, for the international selection. Because of this, I wasn't able to go play internationally," the distressed athlete recounted before breaking down.

A Taekwondo gold medalist couldn't go for an international event because she was asked to bear expenses of 1.5 lakhs. 

Pin drop silence in the hall. 

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami: Ok beta, sit down. 

Now CM PR handles will post another video of the girl in the comment section…

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 12, 2026

However, instead of addressing grave allegations within the sports administration, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami was seen cutting her short, telling her to sit down, before briefly asking for her school name and instructing officials to note it down.

The incident has since drawn attention online, with the video of the emotional interaction sparking questions over alleged corruption and transparency in sports selection.

Taekwondo Player Clarifies Alleged Bribe Demand

A few days after attending CM Pushkar Singh Dhami’s student outreach programme, where the Taekwondo player alleged that she was asked to pay INR 1.5 lakh for international selection, she issued a clarification on the allegations.

In another video, the Taekwondo player, identified as a Class 12 student named Sahra, stated that she had travelled to Jammu to participate in the national championships and had qualified for an international tournament in Romania. She added that the organisers provided INR 1.7 lakh towards the expenses, while the remaining amount had to be paid by her. However, she did not inform anyone at her school and, as a result, could not travel to Romania.

“I went to CM sir's programme where I couldn't tell all the information about myself. My selection was in Jammu, and I had gone there for the National Games. For international games, I got selected to participate in Romania. They were giving me a fee of INR 1.7 lakh, and the rest was to be paid by myself," the student said.

"I didn't tell anybody in the school or anybody else. Because she couldn't go to Romania," he added.

She was training under the Taekwondo Council of India: a PRIVATE body. 
> Her selection came through that private body. 

Total cost of the competition, including travel, was about ₹3.70 lakh. 

The private organisation agreed to cover ₹1.70 lakh. The remaining ₹1.50–1.60 lakh… https://t.co/J7uHWr45br pic.twitter.com/QDaPTz41mf

— The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) August 12, 2026

Taekwondo player’s initial allegations of bribery of INR 1.5 lakh and her subsequent clarification have brought nuance to the controversy, shedding light on the distinction between administrative corruption and self-funded sports expenses.