WFI not for trial, Sushil’s Oly dream shrinks further

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 on Wednesday, 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 here.

“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.

Asked what if the High Court, during its next hearing on May 27, instructs the Federation to take a final call, Brij Bhushan said, “The Federation has taken its decision.”

The meeting chaired by the WFI president included senior vice president ID Nanavati, secretary general and the chief coach, besides Sushil. Sushil’s mentor and father-in-law Satpal was also present in the meeting.

“Since it was a friendly meeting, we also allowed Satpal to be a part of it. We heard Sushil and Satpal’s point of view and we also put forward WFI’s dilemma.”

“We said that Federation is not just for one wrestler or one category.”

“I asked Sushil what he would have done had he been in my place with one wrestler having immense contribution in the past and another with consistent performances,” said Brij Bhushan.

Asked if WFI got convinced by Sushil’s opinion, the president said: “Convince hone ka koi sawal hi nahin uthta hai (there is no question of getting convinced). “Whatever is our view point on the matter, we will submit it to the court in our reply.”  

On why there has been a communication gap between Sushil and WFI after Narsingh had qualified almost eight months back in last September, Brij Bhushan said, “I have never told Sushil or for that matter any other perosn that WFI will hold the trials. Whenever I have been asked by the media if trials would be conducted, I had always said that if I talk about the issue now it would hamper the training of the wrestlers and that’s why I never spoke about it. I said when the time will come to take a decision, I would decide on the matter.” The WFI president said if the Court orders us to conduct a trial, this matter would not stop there.

“If the court decides that we should hold the trial, the matter would not stop there. Then it will again go to the Supreme Court. “But if court instructs WFI to conduct a trial and if the higher court also says it, then we will have to listen to the court,” he said.

Brij Bhushan said Sushil would not be allowed to be in the national camp until the next hearing.