Rio Olympics 2016: Wrestling Federation of India denies dropping Sushil Kumar from Olympics probables list
After reports had come out earlier in the day that Olympic hero Sushil Kumar has been left out of the probables-list for the Rio Olympics to be held in August this year, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has come out and vehemently denied the update saying they have not sent any such list to the India Olympic Association (IOA).
The WFI have defended themselves by saying that United World Wrestling, the governing body for amateur wrestling and in charge of organizing and supervising wrestling at the Olympics, regularly sends lists out of the wrestlers that have qualified for their respective weight categories and events at various Olympic qualifying tournaments held.
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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of WFI said, that even if the probables-list did not have Sushil Kumar’s name, that didn’t mean he would be left out of the Indian contingent and also revealed that he would take a decision on Kumar’s suggestion on holding trials soon.
WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar said to PTI, "This list of probables is not sent by WFI but by the United World Wrestling. After all the trials are over, the world body compiles the names of all those wrestlers who have secured Olympic berths for their country in various divisions at different qualifying tournaments and send it to their respective Olympic Federations,"
On being asked whether Narsingh Yadav or Sushil Kumar will be representing India at the 74kg weight category event at the Rio Olympics, Tomar was cautious and not willing to commit to anything.
"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,” he said.
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Sushil Kumar is a two-time Olympic medallist for India having won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics, both in the 66kg Freestyle event.
Narsingh Yadav has already qualified for the 74kg event, after winning a bronze medal at the World Championships in Las Vegas. Yadav participated in the same weight category in the London Olympics as well whereas Sushil moved up to it following the decision of the Wrestling federation to rearrange the weight divisions.