“We lost many medals” - WFI Chief Sanjay Singh blames protests for wrestling's disappointing performance at Paris Olympics 2024
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh stated that Indian wrestlers put up a disappointing show at the Paris Olympics 2024 due to disturbance caused by the recent protests against the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan, who faced allegations of sexual harassment.
Notably, in January 2023, a total of 30 Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, staged a protest against Brij Bhushan for sexually harassing female players over the years and demanded dissolution of the WFI.
"India could have won six more medals in wrestling, but given the disturbances in the sport over the last 15-16 months, we lost many medals," Sanjay Singh told media (per The Bridge).
“It was the player’s personal decision” - Sanjay Singh on Vinesh Phogat’s weight category
Vinesh Phogat, who suffered disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 for being 100 grams overweight, will not receive a joint silver medal as the Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal.
Sanjay stated that it was Vinesh Phogat’s personal decision to play in that weight category. It’s worth noting that Vinesh had competed in the 50 kg category after her compatriot Antim Panghal secured the 53 kg Paris quota earlier at the World Championships in 2023.
"The category of the sport was the player's personal decision,” Sanjay Singh added (per The Bridge).
Interestingly, Antim, who secured a seeding at Paris 2024, got eliminated from the first round after losing to Turkey’s Zeynep Yetgil.
India managed to secure only one bronze medal in wrestling at the Paris Olympics 2024. Aman Sehrawat, who competed in the men’s 57 kg freestyle category, defeated Pan American Games bronze medallist wrestler from Puerto Rico, Darian Cruz by 13-5 to secure the bronze medal. Interestingly, Aman was the lone male Indian wrestler at the Games in Paris.
This was India’s eighth wrestling medal at the Summer Games. Sushil Kumar and Ravi Kumar Dahiya secured silver medals in 2012 and 2021 while the other six medals are bronze.
At the age of 21 years and 24 days, Aman Sehrawat scripted history to become the youngest Indian medallist in the Games, bettering PV Sindhu’s record of 21 years, one month, and 14 days when she bagged the silver medal in Rio.