New Delhi: Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh has blamed the wrestlers’ protest for India’s ordinary show at the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. India managed to win only one medal in wrestling at the Paris Games with young Aman Sehrawat claiming a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 57kg category.
21-year-old Aman, who made it to the Paris Olympics 2024 after beating his idol Ravi Dahiya, the silver medallist from the Tokyo Olympics 2024, defeated Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in the bronze medal match to add a sixth medal to India’s tally. He became the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Olympics and ensured India’s medal streak in wrestling continued at the Olympics.
India had sent a six-member wrestling contingent to the Paris Olympics, however, only Aman managed to finish on the podium. Vinesh Phogat did assure herself of at least a silver medal after storming into the final of the women’s 50kg freestyle category. However, she was denied a medal after being disqualified from the competition for failing to make weight ahead of her gold medal bout.
Vinesh was disqualified for being overweight by 100 grams during her final weigh-in and was barred form participating in the final. She was disqualified from the competition and was placed last while being stripped of her assured silver. Her heartbreaking disqualification meant India’s wrestling contingent could only manage a bronze medal in Paris.
Wrestlers protest disturbed entire wrestling fraternity: Singh
Singh, who took over from tainted Briju Bhushan Singh as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) last December, pinned the blame on the wrestlers’ protest for the contingent’s poor show. Singh said the protests disturbed the entire wrestling fraternity as wrestlers, who were not part of the protest, struggled to train and practice.
“If you look at it from the other angle, the protests that took place for 14-15 months, the entire wrestling fraternity was disturbed. Let alone one category, the wrestlers in other categories struggled as they could not practice without national and international tournaments. Hence, the wrestlers could not perform well,” Sanjay Singh was quoted as saying by India Today
Vinesh along with the likes of Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik headlined the protests against Brij Bhushan over allegations of sexual harassment against the former WFI president. Vinesh is still in the fray to be awarded a joint silver medal for her heroics at the Paris Olympics as she had filed an appeal against her disqualification in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS is yet to announce its verdict in the matter and delayed the judgement for a third time on Tuesday, August 13. If Vinesh manages to win the case, she will be awarded a joint silver medal for making it to the final while being in the permissible weight category.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh jas blamed the wrestlers protest for the lack of medals for India in wrestling at the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
