CHENNAI: It’s been months since a full-fledged camp was last organised for the senior women wrestlers.
Ever since the protest began against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its sidelined chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in January, they have been forced to train at their respective centres with only short camps being held before international events.
With the Asian Games only a few months away, it has been decided to resume national camps for both men and women wrestlers.
The ad-hoc committee, which is managing the day-to-day affairs of the WFI, on Wednesday held a meeting to discuss the annual calendar for training and competition (ACTC) with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The calendar was approved with the SAI sanctioning camps for wrestlers from July 1.
“Budget of Rs 13 crore till Asian Games has been approved. The calendar includes selection trials to pick up the teams for the Asiad. The trials could be held between June 20-25 after which camps will begin,” said a source in the know of the development.
Further, they added: “only selected wrestlers will be part of the camp. They can, however, give their choices of sparring partners who in turn will be included in the camp for preparations.”
For freestyle and Greco-Roman men wrestlers, the camp will be held in Sonepat while the women grapplers will camp in Patiala.
The ACTC also includes the participation of the Indian wrestlers in the fourth and final Ranking Series in Budapest, Hungary. The event is scheduled from July 13 to 16.
“Wrestlers will first compete in the 3rd Ranking Series scheduled in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from June 1 to 4. They will then compete in the Budapest event. There is a plan that they can also camp in Hungary to prepare for Asiad,” said a source.
The wrestling competitions in the Asian Games will be held from October 1 to 4.
Meanwhile, the ad-hoc committee is also going to hold trials to select U-15 and U-20 teams for the Asian Championships. The trials will be held from June 5 to 8. The continental event is scheduled in Amman City, Jordan from July 12 to 20.
However, it is learnt that the committee wanted to organise nationals to select teams and even mailed state associations requesting them to host events if they are interested. “State units seemingly were not interested. They instead emphasised holding elections as soon as possible,” signed off the source.
The ad-hoc committee that was formed on April 27 was supposed to hold elections, as per the sports ministry’s letter, within 45 days.
