CHENNAI: War of words seems to have intensified between the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) over the issue of wrestlers' participation in the upcoming Ranking Series in Albania. The New Indian Express reported that the wrestlers are likely to miss the event, scheduled to be held from February 26 to March 2, as the SAI has not accorded sanction to the proposal sent in this regard by the WFI. The Indian wrestlers had already missed the first Ranking Series held in Zagreb, Croatia from February 5 to 9 as the SAI didn't issue the sanction.
On Friday, there were reports that the SAI blamed the WFI for sending the proposal at the last minute and added there was also a delay in sending the proposed names. It also said the federation did not make clear on what basis the contingent was selected.
Reacting to this, the WFI said it had submitted the proposal well in advance. "We submitted the proposal for sanction on January 30 and the SAI replied the next day seeking minutes of the selection process of the team. On February 3, the same was sent and the SAI was informed that the same contingent which was selected for the first Ranking Series has been chosen. The WFI also wrote that a talent search was organised to pick up the wrestlers," a WFI source told this daily.
Speaking on the issue, the WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh said he also spoke to SAI joint secretary and TOPS CEO in this regard on Friday. "I spoke to them today but didn't get a satisfactory reply," Sanjay Singh told this reporter. The WFI chief said if the Indian wrestlers did not compete in Albania it would cause them an irreparable loss. "The United World Wrestling conducts four Ranking Series in a non-Olympic year. Wrestlers earn seedings in these events and that helps them get a favourable draw for the World Championships. Our wrestlers already missed the first series and if they miss this one, it will deprive them of important ranking points thus a favourable draw in the worlds," he said.
A sports ministry official didn't reply to a message texted to him in this regard.
The WFI has sent a contingent comprising 31 wrestlers, one in each weight category of three styles (women's wrestling, men's freestyle and Greco-Roman). Each style has 10 weight categories and the Paris Games bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat is one additional name added in 57kg.
The last two Ranking series will be held in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia from May 29 to June 1 and Budapest, Hungary from July 17-20. The Senior World Championships is scheduled in Zagreb from September 13 to 21.