CHENNAI: A Greco-Roman wrestler employed with Indian Railways was asked to withdraw after winning his first bout at the recently-concluded Senior National Championship in Bengaluru. He was representing Rajasthan in the tournament.
Besides, two Railway wrestlers — both had won the state championship in their respective weight categories to qualify for nationals — didn't turn up thus forcing Chandigarh to go unrepresented in the event.
These are only a few cases which came to light as the rift between the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had devoid many more wrestlers to take part in the nationals. Paris Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat is one among them.
The championship might be over but the federation, whose secretary-general Prem Chand Lochab is incidentally also the secretary of the RSPB, is not in the mood to ignore the issue. The member units already discussed it in the annual general body meeting and authorised the WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh to initiate an action.
It is now learnt that the WFI president has decided to issue a show-cause notice to the RSPB asking it the reason for skipping the championship. "The federation will ask the RSPB its reasoning behind skipping the nationals. The board is affiliated with the WFI and it has to send its athletes for events like nationals," Sanjay Kumar told this daily. He also said the WFI will decide the future course of action once it receives the response from the RSPB.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan and Chandigarh Wrestling Associations also decided that it will not allow the Railway wrestlers to represent the state units in future events unless they submit no objection certificates from the RSPB.
"We will not let the Railway wrestlers to represent the state unit unless they submit NOCs," Darshan Lal from Chandigarh association told this daily. Ummed Singh, president of Rajasthan association, echoed the sentiments and said, "We have put forth our views in the AGM on Sunday.
Now the WFI president will decide on the issue and take necessary action."
Notably, once Sanjay Kumar arrives at a conclusion, the same will be presented before the executive committee members. They then will ratify it before forwarding it to the AGM for approval. Ummed Singh is also a member of the WFI executive committee.
Lochab had said that the WFI has been suspended by the sports ministry and the Delhi High Court too has held that an ad-hoc committee should be formed by the Indian Olympic Association to manage the day-to-day affairs of the federation. "In such a situation, it would not be in fittest of things to send Railways team Officially in an unrecognised event,” Lochab had replied to a text message from this daily.
Given the situation, the stalemate looks to continue in future and it's the wrestlers who have to bear the brunt unless an agreement is reached between the two warring entities.