The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has tried to persuade back-to-back Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar not to insist on a trial bout with Narsingh Yadav to decide who of the two should go to the Rio Olympic Games.
Sushil met the WFI officials, with his long-time coach and also father-in-law Satpal in tow, and pleaded for a “fair trial”. The federation was naturally unimpressed with his appeal and explained to him why he does not deserve a trial. He was told that a trial at this late stage would be affecting the psyche of Narsingh who worked hard to get the quota place for the country and also was preparing for the big event.
Sushil has given a new twist to the controversy by stating that he was promised a trial, but the WFI insists that no such assurance was given.
On Sushil’s camp citing a precedent of a trial before the 1996 Atlanta Games in the 48-kg Greco-Roman division, it was explained that trial was held because no wrestler qualified and India received a wild card entry. More importantly it was a “political fight” with heavyweight political groups backing the two combatants, Kaka Pawar and Pappu Yadav.
Both Sushil and the WFI could have easily avoided the messy situation had the sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India stepped in by monitoring the wrestler’s schedule of training and competitions.
Has Sushil submitted any medical report to either the WFI or SAI about his absence from the scene with injury? Apparently, he has not. He could not have been injured for two years not to take part in any trials or competition. Is it believable if a wrestler says he was preparing for only the Olympics without testing whether he is bout fit or not?
It is eight months since Yadav earned the quota spot winning the bronze medal at the World Championship at Las Vegas.
Barely three months to go for the Olympics, Sushil woke up to tell the world in a splashed media interview how hard he has been training for over a year living like a celibate in a bid to make it to a fourth Olympics and if possible add a third medal to his Beijing bronze. —IANS
