CHENNAI: It's a case where dope-tainted wrestlers are finding different ways to compete and even earn money. That too where Wresting Federation of India (WFI) officials were overseeing. A few wrestlers participated in a tournament despite being suspended for dope violations has come to light. What made the issue bigger is the fact that one of the wrestlers in question is multiple Commonwealth Games medallist and bronze medal winner of the Asian Games.
The woman wrestler eventually went on to win the gold medal and cash prize of Rs 1.11 lakh. The tournament was Mahapor Kesari, a private dangal organised by the Indore Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh from January 30 to February 2. This has come to light a couple of days after this newspaper reported of dope-tainted wrestlers taking part in competition and international camp.
Noted wrestling coach and Arjuna awardee Kripashankar Patel red flagged the issue but with no avail. "I apprised the organisers of the same well in advance but they didn't pay heed. I am not against any wrestler but I strongly believe the sport should be dope free and allowing such athletes to compete is equivalent to promoting doping," Patel told this daily.
The organising committee, however, claimed a decision to include the women's competition was taken late and that might have led to the issue. "Our aim is to promote wrestling. Women competition was not there in the roster earlier but included in the eleventh hour to give opportunities to women wrestlers. This might have led to participation of suspended wrestlers. We are learning from our experiences and will make sure such issues do not recur in future," Nandkishore Pahadiya, a member of the organising committee, said.
The woman wrestler in question when contacted refused to speak on the issue. "I had already given my explanations in the past and don't want to comment on it," was her reply.
The WFI, however, distanced itself from the tournament despite its officials including an international referee being part of the event. "We didn't recognise such events. If our officials were there then they must have gone there in their personal capacities. The federation will issue directives to all officials to avoid such unrecognised events in the future," the WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh told this daily.
