"As the Sports Minister, I was involved with national sports awards last year where the President gave away Arjuna, Dronacharya, Dhyan Chand and Tenzing Norgay awards. I was very surprised to see that a number of sportspersons sent substitutes to the ceremony. For me, this is totally unacceptable.”

"Nobody in England can think about sending a substitute to the Queen in the annual award ceremony. I remember how Ian Botham received his Knighthood with all due respect for the Queen," Gill said.

He said it was also a clear violation of the Sports Ministry instruction to either personally receive the award or, in case of unavoidable reasons, send a letter of apology well before the event.

"After last year's sport awards, I held a meeting and issued a firm direction to all the federation and sport bodies that from now onwards, all sportspersons must receive his or her in person and would not be allowed to send substitutes to the President", Gill said.

"And if there are any genuine reasons prevent them from turning up, they must send an apology in advance so that at a later date the Sports Minister can give them the award," he added.