Rio Olympics 2016: Sushil Kumar tweets to PM Narendra Modi, requests fair trial
Indian wrestler and Olympic silver medallist Sushil Kumar has sought the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Sports Ministry, requesting them through his Twitter account to help in conducting a trial for choosing who would represent the country at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games in the 74 kg category. Reports suggest that Sushil Kumar has been dropped by the Wrestling Federation India (WFI) from the list of probables after choosing Olympic quota winner Narsingh Yadav for the Rio Games.
A raging debate has been going on for the past few weeks about who should be going to the Olympics – sentimental favourite Sushil Kumar or quota winner Narsingh Yadav. The latter won the Olympic quota at the World Championships, which were held in Las Vegas in 2015. Kumar, on the other hand, missed out participation in the competition due to a shoulder injury.
Also read: Narsingh Yadav picked over Sushil Kumar to compete in 74kg category at Rio Olympics 2016: Reports
Sushil Kumar believes that a ‘fair trial’ should be conducted between him to decide who should go while Narsingh Yadav has said that he deserves an Olympic berth simply because he has earned it.
A tug of war has been going on the issue and the WFI quashed reports of dropping Sushil Kumar from the list, saying a decision on the wrestler’s request to hold trials is still pending and nothing is final.
"No decision is yet being taken, WFI president is going to take the decision on whether and when to hold the trails. So question on whether Sushil is not going does not arise,” Vinod Tomar, Assistant Secretary at WFI, told PTI.
Kumar has been pretty vocal about the issue, repeatedly asking for a trial and saying that he wants the best man to represent India. He took to microblogging site Twitter to make his feelings known, questioning whether the right thing is being done or not.
Forget abt my 2 Olympics medals, world champion belt & many other medals for India, all I am asking is a fair trial and let the best man go
— Sushil Kumar (@WrestlerSushil) May 13, 2016
Not only did Sushil Kumar made his feelings known, he mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet along with the Sports Minister and the WFI, citing an incident from 1996 when a trial was conducted between Kaka Pawar and Pappu Yadav.
1996 @FederationWrest @narendramodi @sarbanandsonwal #justice4sushil
— Sushil Kumar (@WrestlerSushil) May 13, 2016
The Sports Ministry, on its part, has declined to be drawn into this debate saying that the WFI is an autonomous body and its criteria should be followed.“It is the Federation criteria that has to be followed. We can’t interfere. They are autonomous body. It is the responsibility of the Federation,” Sports Minister Sonowal said at an event.