The only Indian to win back-to-back individual medals at the Olympics, Sushil Kumar, in all likelihood will not be going to the Rio Games. Not because he is too old, or unfit, or unprepared.
Sushil Kumar will not be going to Rio because he has been denied a trial to be India’s representative in his category by the Wrestling Federation of India(WFI) and now also by the Delhi High Court.
Instead, Narsingh Yadav will be representing India in the 74kg category in Rio. Yadav had won the berth for the country by finishing third in the World Championships in Las Vegas last year.
Delhi HC’s Verdict
The Monday hearing was expected to see the Delhi High Court pass judgement on Sushil’s Olympic dreams and it didn’t take long for the verdict to be announced. Just over half an hour into the proceedings, Justice Manmohan Singh ruled that Sushil’s plea for a trial had been rejected, also adding that the court will not interfere in the jurisdiction of the Wrestling Federation unless arbitrary or unreasonable behaviour is shown.
The High Court also observed that Sushil Kumar had himself participated in previous Olympics without going through selection trials and also since the Games are scheduled in August, there is a high probability that the wrestlers might sustain injuries if the selection trial is conducted now.
Though Sushil Kumar is a “legendary” wrestler WFI’s contention that Narsingh Yadav is better in the 74 kg category is not unreasonable.Delhi High Court judgement
This, because even though Sushil is a two-time Olympic medalist - his laurels were both won in the 66kg category. With the IOC eliminating that category for Rio, Sushil had moved his weight up in the last few years to be able to compete in the 74kg rung. An arena where Narsingh Yadav had become India’s number 1.
Sushil Kumar though still has one more option. He can take his case and appeal to the Supreme Court. But with the Games just over two months away, it might just be India’s medal chances that take a hit, and not reputations.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)