SAG injured yet to receive insurance

Even after seven months of an elevator breakdown during the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) in Dhaka, none of the nine national players injured in the accident have received any insurance or compensation.

Some players say that they do not have any idea how to claim the insurance money, while others who tried say that complicated procedures for claiming insurance has made it virtually impossible for them to receive the reimbursement.

As a result, the investment made by the National Sports Council on players´ insurance has turned out to be meaningless as the players have not been able to reap benefits from the scheme.

Others have shown very little interest to collect the insurance after learning that they are entitled to receive only a meager amount.

The policy papers of the Group Personal Accident (GPA) insurance purchased by NSC from Lumbini General Insurance Company state that injured players are entitled to receive only 1 percent of the maximum insured amount (Rs 100,000) on a weekly basis during the injury period, according to the officials of the company.

“We are not interested to undergo all the hassles for such an insignificant amount,” said SAG bronze medalist Deepak Krishna Shrestha, who was injured in the accident on the inaugural day of the regional sporting event.

“No one is interested to make the claim, except for the seriously injured judo players Debu Thapa, Kaluman Tamang and Ramesh Magar,” he added.

Debu Thapa, who had won bronze despite being injured, said, “The insurance company has told us to meet complex criteria in order to receive the amount. We made rounds of the company a few times but have given up after being unable to submit all the receipts, letters and other details as per the demand of the company,” she added.

Other players have no idea how to proceed. “I don´t have any information on how to claim the insurance. I have received a form but I don´t know what to do with it,” says national judo player Ramesh Magar, who had to undergo a surgery in Dhaka to repair his knee ligaments.

The company´s officials say that they cannot release the amount unless the players submit all the required documents.

“We had written a letter to NSC on February 24, asking it to fulfill requirements to get the claims. Some players had visited us and we had given them clear instructions on dealing with the requirements. But they have not come back,” said Binod Kaji Shrestha, deputy general manager of the company.

He said that the company wants to close the file because the players have not come forward to claim reimbursement and it has forwarded a letter to the NSC on Thursday seeking their suggestion on this issue.

The GPA insurance does not even cover the medical charges, according to DGM Shrestha, who is looking after the issue.

“The GPA covers insurance only for an injury period of 104 weeks. The maximum amount is Rs 100,000, only in case of death of the concerned person,” added Shrestha.

NSC, on the other hand, has not facilitated the players in receiving the reimbursement. The players´ complaints have fallen on deaf ears because there isn´t any department at NSC to hear the complaints.

The failure of NSC to retrieve the reimbursement for the total insurance premium of Rs 111,587 for the 395-member jumbo team has brought into light that the funds from the state coffer have gone down the drains.

The need to seek budget from the government even after insuring the players clearly indicates that the reimbursement is insufficient, besides being difficult to obtain.

Medical team awaits NSC nod

The NSC has formed a medical board, which has been assigned to recommend about the expenses of treatment of players injured during the 11th SAG.

NSC formed the board about a week ago after the Ministry of Youth and Sports asked them to form such a board to get financial assistance from the government. However, the board comprising Dr Ajay Rana, Dr Pradeep Joshi and Dr Buland Thapa is yet to begin its work since they have not received official letters from NSC.

Earlier, NSC had demanded Rs 3.5 million from the ministry for the treatment of the players.

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=23762