Pained by events in wrestling but hopeful of 2 medals: Dutt

NEW DELHI: The upheavals in wrestling in the last two years have “severely affected” the growth of the sport in India, feels Olympic medallist grappler Yogeshwar Dutt, though he is still optimistic that the six-member Indian squad can win two medals at the Paris Games beginning on July 26.

Sustained protests by six of the country’s top grapplers, 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 led to wrestling activities in India coming to a grinding halt for close to a year and a half. It had a cascading effect with national camps and competiOlympics), tions being postponed, adversely affecting preparations for Olympic qualification events and, in turn, preparations for the quadrennial showpiece.

“Yes, I feel really pained with the way the last one-and-half to two years have been for Indian wrestling. The sport has passed through a really bad phase and it has severely affected the sport’s growth and had a negative effect on the followers of the game here,” said Dutt, bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, on the sidelines of an event ‘Glory of Five Rings’, organised by Manav Rachna Educational Institutions.

Dutt, who also tried to break the impasse when the protest was at its peak, was also saddened that the turmoil led to fewer number of Indian male wrestlers qualifying for the Games. “In 2004 (Athens six free-style wrestlers had qualified, after which 3, 4, 5 (male) wrestlers have made it to the Games every time. Sad that just one male wrestler, Aman Sehrawat, could qualify for Paris. But all credit to the women wrestlers, who secured five spots, which is a very good thing to happen.”

Dutt refused to comment on Vinesh’s prospects at the Games. The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist was at the forefront of the protest against Brij Bhushan over his alleged sexual harassment of female grapplers.

Asked about Vinesh’s chances in the 50kg category, a relatively uncharted territory for the 29-year-old as she has earned most of the laurels in 53kg, Dutt said, “See, five girls have qualified and women can win one maybe two medals.”