New Delhi: Top names in wrestling are unlikely to compete in a crucial Zagreb meet for which their names were approved by the Union government-appointed oversight committee, reports say.
With activities of the body governing the sport – the Wrestling Federation of India – suspended over grave charges levelled by top sportspersons, the oversight committee has approved of a 55-member contingent to participate in the Zagreb Open Grand Prix.
The committee, formed in the aftermath of an unprecedented protest by the country’s most successful wrestlers, has cleared the names of 36 wrestlers (11 Greco-Roman, 12 women’s wrestling and 13 freestyle) for the tournament, the Press Trust of India has reported.
The competition, which is a series that will affect players’ world rankings, is to be held from February 1 to 5. The government usually bears the cost of sportspersons attending such tournaments.
However, The New Indian Express has reported that it is unlikely that Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia and Worlds medallists Vinesh Phogat and Deepak Punia – who played an important role in leading the protests against WFI chief and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh – will agree to participate, even though their names have cleared. The wrestlers had accused Singh of sexually harassing multiple sportspersons.
A day ago, Phogat, Punia and others had said that they were not consulted when the government formed the oversight committee to look into their claims.
Headed by boxing MC Mary Kom, the committee includes former wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, Mission Olympic Cell member and former badminton player Trupti Murgunde, ex-CEO of Target Olympic Podium Scheme, retired Commander Rajesh Rajagopalan, and former top official at SAI, Radhica Sreeman.
One reason behind the players’ inability to join the competition is their lack of training at this point, considering the turmoil in the sport recently, TNIE reported quoting unnamed sources.
The news outlet has also reported that there are also formal issues pertaining to visa procurement as Croatia has recently become a Schengen nation, leading to certain changes in rules.