Due to the demonstration, the training of wrestlers is affected, the wrestlers who are not performing demand the restoration of the national camp.
New Delhi. Wrestlers, who have been on the sidelines of a protest amid the controversy surrounding Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the closure of the national camp, have demanded opening of the Sports Authority of India’s training centers to prepare for the Asian Games. The national camp for freestyle and Greco-Roman male wrestlers is held at Bahalgarh (Sonipat) and the women’s camp at Lucknow. Prominent wrestlers of the country, including Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, resumed their sit-in at Jantar Mantar from April 23 alleging sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan.
The national camp has been closed since April 8 and hasn’t started yet. More than 300 wrestlers (senior, junior, cadet and under-15) in ten weight categories train in Sonepat and more than a hundred women wrestlers train in Lucknow. Narsingh Pancham Yadav said from Mumbai, “I don’t have a practice partner. The national camp should start again. The Asian Games is after two months. SAI should start the camp again. Why should junior wrestlers suffer?’ He said, ‘Where I practice, there are 25 wrestlers and most are juniors. I don’t have a practice partner. They are inexperienced. There is not much time left in the Asian Games and the World Championship is also to be held. National camp must be started.
On the performance of the wrestlers, he said, “I don’t know the truth. If indeed sexual harassment has happened then it is wrong.” I am in Rohtak. it’s really hard. Can’t get loud. I spoke to the coaches many times but no one knows why the national camp is not starting. Greco-Roman national coach Hargobind Singh said, “I have spoken to SAI officials several times but have not got a concrete answer. It has been a long time since the Asian Championship was held in Astana. By now the camp should have been restored.
Lalita Sharma, director of SAI’s Sonipat center, said that she has not yet received any information regarding the national camp. Meanwhile, SAI Director General Sandeep Pradhan did not pick up the call and did not even reply to the messages. Meanwhile, a female wrestler said, “I am practicing at my centre. I will not go until there is clarity on the coaches in the camp. If the camp is held in Lucknow then it is fine but if it is held somewhere else then clarity is needed on some things.
