Chinese government officials have been severely criticized by the local media and Internet users for giving 132000 dollar reward to multi-millionaire tennis star Li Na for winning the Australian Open.
Li was handed a giant red cheque by Wang Guosheng, governor of her home province of Hubei, as soon as she landed back from Melbourne on Monday.
The 31-year-old had already received prize money of 2.3 million dollar for winning the Australian Open - her second Grand Slam title.
Chinese Internet users accused government officials for wasting taxpayers' money that could have been used to address the needs of the poor.
The official Xinhua news agency also called the event embarrassing and money-worshipping, Sport24 reports.
The Hubei provincial government also awarded her previously after her historic first Grand Slam triumph, the 2011 French Open.
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