New Delhi : Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar on Saturday said that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has gone back on its words to conduct a trial in men’s 74kg freestyle category before the Rio Games to decide who between him and Narsingh Yadav was better.
Alleging that WFI is now back-tracking from its stand to hold a trial, Sushil said: “When the trials took place in July 2015 before the World Championships and I could not take part due to an injury, WFI had said, at that time, that even if Narsingh Yadav books a quota in 74kg, there would be a trial before the Olympics as there is Sushil Kumar also in this category. Otherwise, I would not have been working so hard.”
He reiterated that he was not asking the WFI to send him because of his previous records at the last two Olympics, but hold a trial only.
“I am not even saying that you send me because of my records, all I am asking is to conduct a trial. I just want them to check my performance. If you don’t even check how am I performing right now, then how would you know who between me and Narsingh is better,” Sushil, who won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and a silver at London Olympics in 2012, said. Sushil, however, added that he was not angry with the federation. “I am not angry, but I feel bad that after doing so much, this is happening. I am getting support not just from the people in India but also from Indians based in other countries. They are asking me why the WFI is playing such politics,” he said.
