Olympic medallist grappler Yogeshwar Dutt believes the recent upheavals in Indian wrestling have severely affected the sport’s growth. Despite this, he remains optimistic that the six-member Indian squad can win two medals at the Paris Olympics Matches, starting on July 26.
Impact of Protests on Wrestling in India
In the past two years, wrestling in India has faced significant challenges. Protests by top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, brought wrestling activities to a halt for nearly 18 months.
Challenges in Olympic Preparations
The protests led to the postponement of national camps and competitions, affecting preparations for Olympic qualification events. “The last one-and-a-half to two years have been really tough for Indian wrestling. The sport’s growth has been severely affected, and it has had a negative impact on the followers of the game,” said Dutt, a bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics.
Fewer Male Wrestlers Qualified
Dutt expressed sadness over the reduced number of Indian male wrestlers qualifying for the Paris Games. “In 2004, six freestyle wrestlers qualified for the Athens Olympics. Since then, we have had 3, 4, or 5 male wrestlers making it to the Games. It’s unfortunate that only one male wrestler, Aman Sehrawat, could qualify for Paris. However, the women wrestlers deserve credit for securing five spots, which is a positive outcome,” he added.
Prospects for Women Wrestlers
Dutt refrained from commenting on Vinesh Phogat’s prospects at the Games. Vinesh, who has mostly competed in the 53kg category, will compete in the 50kg category at the Paris Olympics Matches. “Five girls have qualified, and women can win one, maybe two medals. Some of them are very experienced. We have hope that we can win two medals,” he said.
Continuing the Medal Tradition
Dutt hopes the wrestlers will continue the tradition of winning medals at the Olympics. Sushil Kumar won bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012, where Dutt also claimed bronze. Sakshi Malik clinched bronze in 2016, followed by Bajrang Punia (bronze) and Ravi Dahiya (silver) in Tokyo.
“Six wrestlers are going to Paris, out of which five are girls. We have got six medals in wrestling in the last four Olympics. We have high hopes from Antim Panghal and Reetika Hooda, the new talents. They should win because we have a tradition of winning medals since 2008,” Dutt concluded.
Despite the challenges faced by Indian wrestling in recent years, Yogeshwar Dutt remains hopeful about the country’s prospects at the Paris Olympics Matches. With the determination and hard work of the wrestlers, India aims to continue its tradition of winning Olympic medals. Stay updated with the latest Olympic 2024 News from IPL365.
