At a plush five-star hotel in South Mumbai on Thursday, Parveen Rana was far from being the centre of attraction – and given how the last week had panned, he was probably glad about it.
The 25-year-old wrestler was representing the new Veer Marathas franchise of the Pro Wrestling League at an event where their logo was launched. But despite dominating the headlines in the past week because of a now infamous incident during the final of the selection trials for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, there was hardly an spotlight on Rana.
Instead, the Mumbai media chased a local politician who had been invited to unveil the new logo and tried questioning him about the protests and blockades that had brought the city to a standstill for the previous three days.
Rana stood on the sidelines and watched as the Shiv Sena’s Aditya Thackeray fended off questions about the protests. Later, Rana tried to do the same when The Field caught up with him but eventually could not resist the chance to defend himself against arguably one of India’s most famous wrestlers.
Rana had lost to two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar in the final of the selection trials for CWG 2018 before supporters of the two wrestlers traded blows. Rana later alleged that some people from Sushil’s camp had interrupted the bout many times and threatened the officials, before it was awarded to the Olympic medallist.
Different strategy
“My strategy was a bit different during the bout: I was wrestling fast so that I could tire him out and beat him,” Rana said. “Then, some of his family members – not supporters – came on to the mat and tried to stop the fight, they threatened the referee. I lost points which I should have won.”
He added, “In spite of that, I am someone who would rather leave things on the mat rather than carry them outside. I respect him as a wrestler so I did not say anything to him. But when I was walking out of the arena, his family members came and started beating my brother. They tried to beat me but my brother came in between us and took the blows. There is video footage of it.”
An FIR has been registered against Sushil and some of his supporters in Delhi and the Wrestling Federation of India has also issued a notice to the 34-year-old asking him to respond to the allegations. If the federation rules against Sushil, Rana could replace him as India’s representative in the 74-kg freestyle category at the Commonwealth Games in Australia but he isn’t thinking about it. He just wants to put the controversy behind him and move on.
“I am confident the federation will do the right thing,” he said. “I am trying to focus only on my wrestling. Right now, it’s in the Pro Wrestling League. Later, I will focus on the trials for the Asian Games, which are very important. I don’t want to ruin my future. Mai rassi ko saap nahi banana chahta (I don’t want to call a rope a snake).”
Walkover because of injury, not respect
Incidentally, this wasn’t the only controversial meeting between Sushil and Rana. The two were supposed to fight it out in the final of the wrestling Nationals last November before Rana gave Sushil a walkover – one of three the senior wrestler had received in the tournament.
However, Rana clarified that he hadn’t given the walkover out of respect to Sushil like the other two. “During the Nationals, I had hurt my thigh and had received 10 stitches on my head,” he said. “I was playing every fight with a painkiller. The other wrestlers, who were young, gave him a walkover because he was their idol. But I had played four bouts before reaching the final so I was tired, I was also injured.”
Rana said that he gave a walkover considering the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships were coming up in South Africa in December and he wanted to preserve his body for that tournament. “I knew that if I had fought Sushil then, I would not have been able to fight in South Africa on an international level,” he said. “That’s why I gave a walkover. People made a big deal about it but I still respect the media and my countrymen. It gives me motivation to fight.”
The plan did not work out, as Rana lost to Sushil 4-5 in South Africa before they squared off again in Delhi last week. Rana said he is prepared to come up against Sushil again on the mat, regardless of the outcome of the investigations of the police and the wrestling federation. He may get his chance soon, in the Pro Wrestling League starting January 9, where Sushil represents the Delhi Sultans.
“If I face Sushil pehelwaan again on the mat, I will be ready to wrestle,” Rana said. “I am confident in my abilities, but I am not overconfident to say that I will beat Sushil pehelwaan. If I train well, I can beat him.”
