Wrestlers floored by IOC’s announcement to drop sport from Games

VANCOUVER DESI

Wrestler Sushil Kumar (right) is India’s only two-time individual Olympic medallist.
Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images

India’s wrestlers are struggling to come to grips with the decision to drop the spot from the Olympic Games.

Sushil Kumar, the country’s only two-time individual Olympic medallist, said it was a blow for Indian wrestlers just when they were starting to shine on international stages.  India netted two wrestling medals at the 2012 London Games – a silver by Kumar and a bronze from Yogeshwar Dutt.

“The sport was looking up in India, said Kumar. “It had a bright future. Lot of youngsters were taking up the sport, especially after our success at the London Games. But now the blow will take the sport backward in India.”

The International Olympic Committee announced wrestling would not be part of the Games beginning in 2020.

“Why will youngsters take up wrestling any more?” asked Dutt. “There were so many long-term programs planned till 2020 and now all will be shelved. There also won’t be any government support since wrestling no longer will be an Olympic sport.”

“It is a Black Day for wrestling,” said wrestling coach Yashvir Singh.

Wrestling, which includes freestyle and Greco-Roman events, has been a part of the Olympics since the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.

Despite being a part of the Olympics since the inaugural modern edition in Athens in 1896, wrestling was counted out to make way for a new sport yet to be decided upon. Its proponents  will now queue up with other sports like softball and baseball, squash, karate, sport climbing, wakeboarding, wushu and rollersports that regularly pitch their case for inclusion in the Games.

India has won four Olympic medals from wrestling. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal, a bronze, in the 1952 Helsinki Games.

- With a file from IANS