Non-protesting wrestlers demand resumption of national training camp

New Delhi: Several non-protesting wrestlers have demanded that the national training camp be reopened because lack of training is having a negative impact on the preparations for the Asian Games.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) closed its centres on April 8, a day before the Asian Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan. Over 300 wrestlers in 10 weight categories - senior, junior, cadet, and U15 - train at SAI centre in Sonepat. The Lucknow centre accommodates over 100 women wrestlers.

Narsingh Pancham Yadav, a national championship silver medallist, told PTI that he doesn't have proper sparring partners to train with. "We need to be in a national camp. The Asian Games trials are just two months away. The SAI should restart the camp. Why should the junior wrestlers suffer."

"There are about 25 wrestlers where I train and most of them are juniors. So obviously I don't have proper training partners. They are inexperienced. Not much time is left for the Asian Games and after that, the World Championship is also scheduled. The national camp must restart," he added.

When asked about the protests led by top wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, he said: "I don't know the truth. If something like that (sexual harassment) has happened, then it's wrong."

Sandeep Deshwal, who competes in greco roman style in the 82 kg category, said the camps being shut has been a struggle for him. "I am in Rohtak since the camp closed. It's really difficult. Jor nahi ho pa raha (The mat training has become a big issue). I have spoken to the coaches also several times but no one knows why the national camp is not restarting."

National greco roman coach Hargobind Singh said he has spoken to SAI officials multiple times but has received no definitive answer. "A lot of time has passed since the Asian Championship in Astana (April 9-14). By this time the camp should have resumed. It's an Asian Games year and there should not be this big a gap in training."

Lalita Sharma, the executive director at SAI Sonpeat centre said they have "not received any communication regarding the national camp as of now".

When PTI reached out to a woman wrestler who did not want to be named, she said she will not join the national camp unless there is clarity about who are coaching and whom to reach out to in case of an issue. "There has to be clarity who the coaches will be at the camp and who do we need to reach out to, in case there is an issue. Wrestling is as much mental as physical. In the current scenario, it's difficult to say anything if I would like to rejoin the camp."

"If the camp resumes at Lucknow centre only, then it should be fine but if it's shifted to some other place, we need to get clarity on a few things. Otherwise, not many women wrestlers join the camp, most of them prefer to train at their own training centres," she added.

Top wrestlers of India have accused WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing them and criminally intimidating them over the course of ten years. They have been staging a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar for the past several days.