As many as 18 wrestlers including a few national players who had gone to Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir to participate in a national tournament landed up high and dry as their team managers and coaches, who, according to them, are members of Chhattisgarh Wrestling Association allegedly did not provide food and even thrashed a few girl members of the team.
They also expelled two coaches and a manager from the hotel and eventually the team returned without participating in the tournament. The wrestlers while running short of money had to travel without ticket from Delhi to Raipur and even remained hungry for two days, the wrestlers alleged while talking to reporters here at the District Collectorate premises here. The players reached Raipur and the information reached the higher authorities.
Culture Minister Ajay Chandrakar made immediate arrangements for food and stay for these players in the circuit house, they stated.
Assistant Director (Sports) Rajendra Dekaty said that a complaint had been received and the matter will be investigated. “We will have to find out if the institution which took the players to Srinagar is recognised by the State Government or not and whether the said tournament in Srinagar was a recognised one or not and other facts of the incident,” he said .
“Stringent action will be taken against those if found guilty in the incident,” added Dekatey.