No training trip abroad for women wrestlers

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 22

The Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) lackadaisical attitude has robbed the Indian women wrestlers of a much-needed training trip ahead of the Rio Olympics. It’s for the first time that three women grapplers — Babita Phogat, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik —have qualified for the Olympics. 

Their preparation for the Rio suffered a setback when the trio was told by the WFI that they would have to train at Sonepat only. Reason: A delay by the WFI in approaching other nations to accommodate India’s women grapplers at their respective Olympic training centres. The WFI took too long to decide, and by the time, most of the countries had their training centres occupied.

All the countries — Belarus, USA, Azerbaijan, Canada and Japan among others — turned down the federation’s plea. Venezuela’s wrestling federation showed some interest in the WFI’s request but the women wrestlers refused to go there.

While their male counterparts  will be training in Georgia for a fortnight before flying to Rio, the women’s team will be in Sonepat.

 “We thought there was no point in sending our wrestlers to an over-crowded place. The Sonepat centre has all the facilities and we have also called the Indian team’s foreign coach Roin Doboriginidze from Lucknow centre to Sonepat. The men’s team will depart for Georgia on July 25 and will reach Rio directly from there,” said Vinod Tomar, WFI assistant secretary.