CHENNAI: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has written to the chief executive officer of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) requesting him to resume national camps for men and women wrestlers.
The WFI said the year holds great significance for the wrestlers with the Asian Games and the World Championships, which is also the first qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics, scheduled in September and hence they continue training at the camps.
However, what may turn out to be a bone of contention is one of the venues suggested by the federation for the women’s camp. The WFI suggested the SAI centre in Sonepat as the venue for the men’s wrestlers (Greco-Roman and freestyle). For women wrestlers, it has given four options — Gandhinagar (Gujarat), IG Stadium in New Delhi, Pune and Lucknow — with the last expected to raise a few eyebrows. Notably, women wrestlers, who protested against the WFI and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, called Lucknow’s SAI centre unsafe and wanted the camp to be shifted to another place.
“The wrestlers have returned home from Kazakhstan after competing at the Asian Championships. All of them are now training in their respective hometowns. But they should assemble at one place as soon as possible because big events like Asiad and Worlds, which is also an Olympic qualifier, are lined up. The federation has written to the TOPS to resume the camps from April 20 but has not got any response yet.
The camp should continue till October 30 so that it covers both the events,” a WFI source told this daily. The source admitted women’s camp in Lucknow may fetch a negative response but affirmed it as a reason for suggesting three additional venues as options. “The male wrestlers should train together in Sonepat as they have been doing for years. For women, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) can choose any venue from the mentioned four options after taking wrestlers into confidence,” added the source.
The federation is hopeful that it will receive SAI’s response soon. “The response is still awaited but let them discuss and arrive at a conclusion. The point is to get the camps resumed soon as the performance of wrestlers has dipped considerably at the recently-concluded continental event.” It is also learnt that the federation has submitted its annual calendar of training and competition (ACTC) to the SAI.
Meanwhile, sources also claimed that the SAI has expressed willingness to send athletes overseas for a camp and has even spoken to a few coaches to send a proposal in this regard.
“We were told that a few coaches have been asked to send a proposal for an overseas camp but it doesn’t make sense at this point in time. Anyways, sending 120 wrestlers (40 each in three styles) can turn out to be a logistical nightmare. It’s better if the wrestlers train in the country,” opined a source. The TOPS CEO didn’t respond to a text message sent to him.
