Sports awards
l In 2001, Milkha Singh refused an Arjuna award for "lifetime achievement", saying the award had come too late. He objected to being "clubbed" with two women athletes, Rachna Govil and Vijaymala Bhanot, who had had little international success.
In 2003, ace shooter Anjali Bhagwat slammed the Arjuna Awards committee for nominating athlete K.M. Beenamol for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award ahead of her, saying its decision showed that performance was not the only criterion for the award.

Elsewhere
Former British prime minister Tony Blair was accused of offering honours for cash after four people he nominated were found to have made substantial loans to the party ahead of the election. In December 2006, he became the first serving prime minister to be questioned by police as part of a criminal investigation.
The Sri Lankan Government's decision in 1996 to bestow the highest national honour—equivalent to the English knighthood—on the entire Sri Lankan team, including the reserves, was criticised.
In 2000, the British Queen presented the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) with the George Cross, the highest civilian award for bravery. But republicans described the award as “offensive”, saying members of their community had suffered at the hands of the RUC.