The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is ready to host the first senior national camp in 15 months, per the latest reports. Delhi, not Patiala, is the likely new venue for the event due to the ongoing farmer’s protest in the country.
Months after the ongoing saga surrounding now-suspended WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment by several female wrestlers, the senior national camp, on hold since January 2023, will get underway.
The ad-hoc panel, formed to monitor daily activities at the WFI, began with the training camps for men (in Rohtak) and women (in Patiala) after conducting its own Nationals in Jaipur.
Earlier, with the United World Wrestling (UWW) lifting WFI’s suspension after Sanjay Singh got elected as the new president, the WFI announced the trials to select the National teams for the Asian Wrestling Championships (in Bishkek from April 11-16) and the Continental Olympic Qualifier (from April 19-21).
“After we conduct these trials, the top four in each category will be invited to be part of the National camp,” WFI president Sanjay Singh told PTI. ”We have not yet finalised the venues for the camps,” he added.
Considering the farmer’s protest movement in Northen India, SAI centres in Sonipat are said to be used as venues for the men’s camp, while the IG Stadium will host the women’s camp.
”The Lucknow SAI centre is out of question, and we have to choose between Patiala and Delhi. As of today, the restriction on movement in and around of Punjab will make it a bit inconvenient for everyone to reach Patiala. So, probably, we can request the government to provide the IG Stadium for the women’s camp,” said a WFI source.
Who competes in the trials?
Per the source, the top four wrestlers at the recently concluded Nationals in Jaipur (conducted by the ad-hoc) and Pune (conducted by WFI), are invited to compete in the trials. All those who missed out on the cut either were not good or were allowed to compete.
”We will invite not just the winners of the trials but also the finalists and the semi-finalists for the national camp. If the runner-up or number 3-4 are not interested, which happens sometimes, then that camp spot will be offered to the next best wrestler and so on,” the source said.
