Phogat sisters axed from Asiad camp for ‘serious indiscipline’

NEWDELHI:AXED from the national camp for “serious indiscipline”, the celebrated Phogat sisters will have to explain their absence for any chance of a comeback, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said on Thursday after one of them, Babita, claimed to be injured.

Geeta and Babita Phogat, both Commonwealth Games medallists who became household names after their life story was brought alive on the silver screen in blockbuster ‘Dangal’, along with their younger siblings Ritu and Sangeeta were ousted from the ongoing national camp in Lucknow.

The WFI cited their unexplained absence from the camp as reason. “The wrestlers selected for the national camp are expected to physically report to the camp within three days. If they have any problems or issues they should go there and report it to the coaches and find a solution,” WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told PTI.

“But Geeta, Babita and others (in all 13) did not do that. They were incommunicado. This is serious indiscipline on their part and the WFI felt it’s time to pull the plug. So we have told them to sit at home and enjoy,” he said.

The federation’s action against the wrestlers means that they could be barred from the Asian Games trials scheduled later this month. The Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Augustseptember later this year in Indonesia.

Singh, however, hinted that the wrestlers could be given a lifeline if they can come up with a satisfactory explanation for their actions. “Let them first come to us and explain the reasons behind their actions. For now they are out of the national camp,” he said.

The men’s and women’s national are being simultaneously conducted in Sonepat and Lucknow from May 10 to 25.

Another big name to have been barred from the national camp is Satyawart Kadian, husband of Rio Olympics bronze-medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik.

When contacted, Babita said she is yet to receive any showcause notice from the WFI and cited injury as reason for her absence. “I didn’t receive anything from the federation. Yes, I haven’t joined that camp yet as I am recovering from injuries to both my knees,” Babita told PTI.

“I admit I haven’t informed the federation yet but I will send an application to them today itself,” she added.