Wrestling: Sushil Kumar writes letter to PM seeking a final trial before Rio Olympics
There has been a prolonged controversy over which wrestler will represent India in the 74-kg men's category at the games.
Double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a meeting to request his help for a final trial before the Rio Olympics. This letter comes in the wake of a prolonged controversy over which wrestler will represent India in the 74-kg category at the upcoming Olympics. Twenty-six year old Narsingh Yadav grabbed the official spot in the weight category by winning bronze at the 2015 Asian Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas. He was also expected to carry India's flag at the sporting extravaganza.
However, Sushil Kumar who also won gold in the same category at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has been adamantly calling for a trial to be held between him and Yadav to decide on India's representative. Yadav opposes any such trial on the grounds that he achieved the qualifying quota through his performances and he deserves the chance to represent India.
The Wrestling Federation of India, which will have to take a final decision, has remained tight-lipped, neither confirming or denying that a trial will take place. Consequently, the Union Sports Ministry has refused to interfere in the decision and it said it was an internal matter of India's wrestling federation.