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More Than Its Share Of Controversies Even Before Team Leaves Indian Shores

by | Sep 21, 2023 | Sports

The deepening crisis in wrestling ahead of the Asian Games turned out to be the biggest controversy in the run-up to the continental showpiece, which will begin in Hangzhou on September 23. Even as the Indian contingent prepares to fly out to China with the target of achieving the 100-medal mark for the first time in the history of the Games, the country’s grapplers, especially Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia will be in the spotlight, as he along with five others launched a campaign to oust the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, to ensure “safety of women grapplers”.

Here are some of the controversies, which cast a shadow on Indian sport as the athletes prepared for the continental Games.

WRESTLING: The sport took centre stage not for sporting achievements but off the mat issues as some of the most decorated grapplers in the country, including Olympic medallists Punia and Sakshi Malik and 2018 Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat protested for nearly two months at the Jantar Mantar demanding the ouster of BJP politician and WFI president Brij Bhushan, alleging sexual harassment of seven female wrestlers, including a minor.

The Sports Ministry swung into action and dissolved the federation, handing the responsibility to run the sport in the hands of an Indian Olympic Association-constituted ad-hoc committee, which courted its own set of controversies before holding trials to select the contingent for the Asian Games.

Punia and Vinesh got exemption from appearing in the trials and went to train abroad even as the khaps of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh became divided on who should go for the Asian Games. As luck would have it, Vinesh (53kg category) got injured and Antim Panghal, who had been kept as standby for the Asian Games, and had been protesting the ‘favours’ given to the Asian Games gold medallist, finally got her wish to compete in the quadrennial event.

Vishal Kaliraman (65kg freestyle) was not so lucky, as Punia went ahead to train in Kyrgyzstan after getting the exemption from trials and will be flying directly to Hangzhou. But the events of the last six months would have taken a toll on all the competing grapplers, as national camps were postponed, trials re-scheduled several times and the ad-hoc committee’s indecision delayed the selection process.

FOOTBALL: The club-versus-country debate once again became a sticking point, with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) sweating over whether the 12-team Indian Super League (ISL) would release players for the Asian Games.

Following several rounds of discussions and hectic parleys, talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri and ace defender Sandesh Jhingan were finally released for national duty.

Thirteen players were initially not released by their respective ISL clubs, including Jhingan and first-choice goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. A 17-member team with Chhetri as the only notable face was named initially. But AIFF announced a revised squad of 22 after hectic parleys with Jhingan in the list, besides two more senior players in Chinglensana Singh and Lalchungnunga as late as Friday.

The indecision could well come in the way of the players’ performance in Hangzhou. Even as the football team departed on Sunday night, Chinglensana and Lalchungnunga are still waiting for their travel documents from the Chinese embassy and will miss India’s opening match against China on Tuesday.