New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Jitendra Singh cleared the national sports awards file on Thursday without making any changes in the list finalised by the committee headed by former World billiards champion Michael Ferreira.

The Sports Department Secretary had recommended the name of Kerala-based volleyball player, Tom Joseph, for Arjuna Award after his exclusion from the list of those recommended for this years’ award evoked a strong wave of protest in the State, the central Sports Minister hasn’t included his name in the final list.

Earlier Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Sports Authority of India Director General, Jiji Thomson had also submitted a report favoring Tom Joseph.