Vijender Singh battles bureaucracy for prize money

Indian boxer Vijender Singh earned bronze medals at the World and Asian championships in 2009 but he has a fight on his hands getting money from his state government.

The boxer, who also won bronze at the Beijing Olympics and gold at last year's Asian Games, has been unable to get his hands on prize money promised to him by the Haryana state government.

The state's sports department has asked Singh to prove he won the bronze medals in 2009 to claim his reward.

"They want me to provide certificates to prove that I won the medals," he told Reuters by telephone.

"I did not get any certificate for the World Championships and I misplaced the certificate for the Asian Championships while returning to India.

"I have given them a letter from the federation, but still they are not satisfied. This has been going on for a year and I know it will continue."

Singh, dubbed the "Haryana Hunk", is a favourite in the ring and on the catwalk and has appeared on a number of Indian television programmes.

However, Haryana sports director OP Singh made no apologies for the state's stance.

"There are set government procedures I've to follow ... like proper documentation," he was quoted as saying by the Times of India newspaper. "Bring the certificates and I'll give the money."