Coach pays the price for crusade

NEW DELHI: For long, national wrestling coach, Kripa Shankar, has been highlighting the plight of top women wrestlers in national preparatory camps. Lack of food supplements is one of the issues he had raised when the camp for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games was on at Sonepat.

The coach’s outspoken ways have not found favour with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and has got Shankar dropped from the Glasgow-bound team for indiscipline.

The sports ministry, according to Indian Olympic Association secretary-general, Rajeev Mehta, has sent a letter saying the coach can’t be a member of the contingent as he is facing disciplinary charges. “We have apprised the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on the issue,” added Mehta.

The women’s team is currently training at the SAI centre in Lucknow.

“It’s not possible to make changes as the accreditation procedure is over,” said a WFI official, expressing helplessness over the situation.

Shankar’s exclusion could weigh heavy on the team. “It could be detrimental to the team’s performance,” he said.

When contacted, Shankar, a former international wrestler, said he was aware of the development. “The WFI has taken up the matter with the ministry,” he said. But till Friday, there was no response from the ministry, which means he will not travel to Glasgow.

“Since I fought for the privileges of the players, I am being targeted,” said Shankar.

Ajit Sharan, secretary, sports, said there was no change in the final list approved by the ministry.