Indian Wrestling Growth Stunted by Recent Turmoil, Says Yogeshwar Dutt

The recent turmoil in Indian wrestling has had a significant impact on the sport's growth and development, according to Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt. The sustained protests by top grapplers, including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh led to a halt in wrestling activities for nearly a year and a half.

This disruption had a cascading effect, with national camps and competitions being postponed. It adversely affected preparations for Olympic qualification events and, in turn, preparations for the Paris Games. Dutt expressed his disappointment with the situation, stating that it has severely affected the sport's growth and negatively impacted its followers.

The turmoil also resulted in fewer Indian male wrestlers qualifying for the Games. In previous Olympics, three to five male wrestlers had qualified, but for Paris, only Aman Sehrawat has secured a spot. However, Dutt praised the women wrestlers for securing five spots, which he believes is a positive development.

Dutt declined to comment on Vinesh's prospects at the Games, as she has moved up to the 50kg category. He expressed hope that the women wrestlers can win one or two medals, highlighting the experience of Antim Panghal and others.

Dutt also emphasized the importance of continuing the tradition of Indian wrestlers winning medals at the Olympics. He expressed confidence that the six wrestlers representing India in Paris, including five women, can maintain this legacy.

Tags: #IndianWrestling, #OlympicMedalists, #WFIProtests, #Paris2024, #VineshPhogat