The recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024 left India with a modest medal tally, and wrestling, a sport that has historically been a strong suit for the country, contributed only one medal. Aman Sehrawat, competing in the men’s 57kg category, secured a bronze medal for India. However, the overall performance fell short of expectations. Sanjay Singh, the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), has pointed to a significant factor behind this subpar showing: the wrestlers’ protests.
Sanjay Singh’s remarks on Wrestlers’ performance
Singh highlighted that the wrestling fraternity faced disruptions due to protests that persisted for around 14-15 months. These protests were led by prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik. Their demands were related to alleged sexual harassment by the then WFI chief, Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan.
The tensions created by these protests affected the wrestlers’ ability to prepare adequately for the Paris Olympics. Singh emphasized that the entire wrestling community was disturbed, impacting their training and performance.
“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 told India Today.
While Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal was a commendable achievement, other notable wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat faced challenges. Vinesh, who had qualified for the Olympic final in the women’s 50kg category, was disqualified due to exceeding the permissible weight limit during weigh-ins. Her fate remains uncertain pending a verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
WFI chief Sanjay Singh blames wrestlers' protests for India's ordinary show at Paris Olympics | #ITVideo | @nabilajamal_ pic.twitter.com/xw8eToihY0
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 14, 2024
Last year, Sakshi Malik, India’s only woman with an Olympic wrestling medal, retired after Sanjay Singh took over as WFI chief. Vinesh Phogat’s future hangs in the balance, awaiting the CAS decision.
The protests not only disrupted individual wrestlers but also affected the collective morale and focus of the wrestling community. The lack of practice without national and international tournaments further hampered their performance.
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