Sushil Kumar's fight for an Olympic berth suffered another blow with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) strongly hinting that they would prefer Narsingh Yadav for the Rio event by insisting on not having a trial given the quota winner's "consistent performances". Following the Delhi High Court directive, a special WFI committee, formed on the instruction of the court, held a meeting with the two-time Olympic medallist, to sort out as to who between Sushil and Narsingh would represent India in the men's 74kg freestyle category at the mega-event in August. "Sushil has put forward his views before the committee and has maintained what he has been saying since the very beginning that he should get a chance to undergo a trial," WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told reporters in New Delhi. "We have told him that 'you have put Indian wrestling at a pedestal and we cannot ignore your contribution and we all respect you'. But on the other hand, there is another wrestler who has brought the Olympic quota and also has been giving consistent performances. So, can we be unfair to him also?" Brij Bhushan added.
The former Haryana chief minister also reiterated his demand for an impartial inquiry into the allegations levelled against the head of the Wrestling Federation of India.
'Scuffle' between wrestlers protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, police personnel
As the Indian wrestlers await the fate of underfire WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik threatened to quit the sport if action isn't taken.
The veteran politician said he spoke to Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia on Tuesday night and promised to visit them at the protest site.
The Gauhati High Court on Sunday stayed the Wrestling Federation of India elections, scheduled for July 11.
If CAS rules in Vinesh's favour, she will be awarded a joint-silver in the women's 50kg freestyle category.
The father of the minor wrestler said that they deliberately filed a false complaint against WFI chief because they wanted to get back at him.
Bajrang Punia has been handed a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during the recent trials.
Amid the row over BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's derogatory remarks in the Lok Sabha, BSP MP Danish Ali on Monday questioned the "delay" in action against the ruling party leader and alleged that the comments seem to have been sanctioned by the BJP's top leadership to build a narrative around him and his community.
Gandhi's meeting with the wrestlers comes against the backdrop of a controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
'I had serious doubts that my statement on video may not have been recorded in entirety or may have been altered in an attempt to protect the accused and thus I requested for a copy of the video recording. However members of the oversight committee flatly turned down my request.'
'Vinesh wants an assurance from the government. Probably she fears that if WFI gets back the control, the federation may change the selection policy. But how can the government give assurance on this. The government can't interfere in selection matters.'
Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt on Thursday termed the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by the international body as "very distressing".
The Sports Ministry on Saturday suspended Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, a fallout of the grapplers' allegations of sexual harassment and corruption against the sports body's chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The coaches and parents of several established and upcoming wrestlers on Friday demanded withdrawal of exemption granted to Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia.
UWW will not interfere in the pending case relating to the alleged sexual harassment of Indian women grapplers by former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh but will "listen to the voices of athletes" if they approach the world body again, its chief Nenad Lalovic said on Monday.
Protesting wrestlers alleged that the victims are being pressurised to change their statements.
The Wrestling Federation of India is likely to pardon temporarily suspended Babita Kumari for forfeiting her bout in a recent qualifying event and allow her to compete at the Rio Games, as she secured an Olympic berth after her rival failed a dope test.
Indicating that things were far from ideal in the ad-hoc panel, Singh said Bajwa wants to take all the decisions by himself, giving a feeling that the previous WFI setup was still in place.
From battling opposition from the villagers who considered wrestling to be a man's sport, losing her father at the age of just nine, to taking on powerful federation officials, Vinesh has faced innumerable hardships on her way to realising her dreams.
IOA approached the Olympic Council of Asia, seeking an extension of the July 15 deadline for providing details of the country's wrestling squad for the Asian Games.
Politicians and sportspersons condemn police action and detention of protesting wrestlers
On Tuesday, seven top wrestlers filed a joint petition in the Supreme Court seeking registration of an FIR against Singh
Phogat and Punia joined the party in the presence of Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, spokesperson Pawan Khera and Haryana Congress chief Uday Bhan.
Jadeja most tested Indian cricketer so far in 2023, 58 samples collected in first 5 months
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said they planned to meet President Droupadi Murmu and will hold another mahapanchayat in Haryana's Kurukshetra on Friday to discuss the next steps in the agitation.
Left red-faced by the four-year ban imposed on Narsingh Yadav by the Court of Arbitration (CAS), the Wrestling Federation of India has demanded a CBI probe into the doping scandal that has jeopardised the grappler's entire career.
Vinesh had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympics appearances.
Kadian, who competes in heavy-weight category, reiterated that their fight is against the WFI chief and not against the government.
The BJP's top leadership will drop its MPs found to be facing anti-incumbency, according to its internal surveys -- a pivotal tactic to ensure the party achieves its target of winning 370 seats.
Maharashtra NCP's chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of following the use-and-throw policy and added that Raj Thackeray "will have to pay for his own karma".
A 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as "Nirbhaya (the fearless one)", was raped and assaulted by six men inside a bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012, before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.
United World Wrestling (UWW), the world governing body for wrestling, has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India for not conducting its elections on time.
Only one male and five female wrestlers qualified for the upcoming edition. Here's a look at the strength and weakness of all the six contenders.
Narsingh Yadav's chances of representing India at the upcoming Olympics might have diminished further after a second failed dope test but the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is still hopeful of a favourable verdict by the NADA panel, saying that his lawyers, on Wednesday, presented a strong case.
IOA's ad-hoc panel plans trials for Asian C'ships from May 17.
India's women wrestlers push for reforms after sexual harassment case
Services' wrestler Satender Malik launched a physical assault on referee Jagbir Singh after losing the 125kg final during the trials for the Commonwealth Games, prompting the national federation to impose a life ban on him, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Sakshi Malik accused Babita Phogat of trying to use the wrestlers for selfish motive and weaken their protest.
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