CHENNAI: Frustrated with the uncertainty that the ongoing mess has cast over their future, upcoming wrestlers are planning to stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday. It is learnt that wrestlers from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are expected to reach the venue by 11 am to raise their voice against the mismanagement that has brought the sport to a standstill.
It should be noted here that the country's top wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat — also launched their protest against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the same venue in January last year.
"I have been informed about the plan by the owner of an akhara. It's the age group or junior wrestlers who are bearing the brunt of nationals not being held. Even in my akhara, junior wrestlers didn't get any competition in 2023 and now they are overaged. They are planning to be part of the protest," an owner of an akhara in New Delhi told this daily.
It is learnt that a few international medallists have also written letters to the United World Wrestling (UWW) urging it to restore normalcy in the administration of the sport. They are pointing fingers at the top wrestlers and accusing them of orchestrating the protest for their benefit.
"We don't have any issues with the protest by these top wrestlers but they are claiming that they are fighting for their juniors which is not true. They had achieved what they wanted to on the wrestling mat but their protest is now preventing these budding wrestlers from achieving their dreams," added the akhara owner.
One of the wrestlers, who has written to the UWW, said, "The time has come to expose these top wrestlers as they have hijacked the sport in the name of justice. That's what we have written to the UWW. We are with junior wrestlers and if the need arises, we will also join them in the protest."
Notably, the newly-elected WFI announced to hold U-15 and U-20 national championships in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, soon after coming to power but it was abstained from functioning only three days later leading to cancellation of the age-group competitions. The ad-hoc committee has yet not announced the dates for these age-group competitions.