Courtesy-News8Plus
Sushil Kumar, a double Olympic medalist who has been arrested in a murder case, is scheduled to be withdrawn from the Wrestling Federation of India’s yearly contracts list, along with Pooja Dhanda, due to non-performance when the board has a review meeting next month.
The meeting between the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and sponsors Tata Motors was supposed to take place in 2020, but it was postponed owing to the coronavirus pandemic. According to a WFI source, the decision to dismiss Sushil was made solely on the basis of his performance and had nothing to do with his arrest for his suspected role in the death of a fellow wrestler, Sagar Dhankad, at the Chhatrasal stadium.
The WFI had followed in the footsteps of the BCCI by offering central contracts to its players in 2019. Around 150 wrestlers have signed one-year contracts that are subject to renewal.
Sushil was elevated to an Rs.30 lakh Grade A contract after being placed in Grade B, which paid the wrestlers Rs.20 lakh per year. Pooja was also assigned to Grade A. Sushil failed to win a medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and was knocked out of the 2019 World Championships in the first round. He hasn’t competed since then.
Pooja, who won bronze at the 2018 World Championships, has also dropped out of the 57kg division. She did not compete in 2020, and her most recent medal-winning performance was a silver medal at the Grand Prix of Spain in July 2019.
When contacted, WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar could not confirm the two wrestlers’ exclusion but suggested that such a move could not be ruled out. “All decisions will be made at the meeting only. But one thing is sure that sponsors’ money will not be distributed for nothing. We have to utilize the money wisely,” Tomar said.
Much before Sushil got engaged in the horrific case, there were queries about why WFI kept him on the contractual list despite his lack of international activity.
A judgement on Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik, who has been defeated in the 62kg division four times in the previous 15 months by the youthful Sonam Malik, will also be closely followed.
Sakshi, who has a Grade A contract, was compelled to participate in the non-Olympic 65kg class at the Asian Championships in Almaty last month, where she earned a silver medal. Tomar believes Seema Bisla, who qualified for the Tokyo Games in 50kg, will be offered a contract.