Amid the recent controversies including the banning of some big names, Indian wrestlers will seek a fresh start when they take to the mat at the 2nd World Qualifying tournament, starting here on Friday, with an aim to secure as many Olympic quotas in their last attempt.
The 14-member India team, sans the likes of famous Phogat sisters — Geeta and Babita Kumari, will be keen to secure Olympic berths for the country during the three-day event from May 6 to 8. It will be a tough competition, considering that only the top two finishers in each weight category will ensure a quota place at the Rio Games.
last week, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) issued show cause notices to four wrestlers — Geeta (women's 58kg), Babita (women's 53kg), Sumit (men's 125kg freestyle) and Rahul Aware (men's 57kg freestyle) — before handing them temporary suspension for showing indiscipline, bringing their dream of qualifying for Rio Olympics to an abrupt end.
To add to all this, Vinesh Phogat (in pic.) (women's 48kg) was disqualified from the event for being 400gms overweight. However, Vinesh was let off with a warning and now all eyes would be on her, as she is not only India's best bet in women's category but also because she has assured WFI of ensuring an Olympic berth at the competition here.
No Indian woman wrestler has so far won a quota place and with Geeta and Babita out now, the onus will be on Vinesh.
With WFI deciding to come down heavily on the offenders and world body also having debarred them from this tournament, the last Olympic qualifying event will not have some of the best Indian wrestlers.
lalita has replaced Babita and Sakshi Malik comes in place of Geeta.
Others in the fray are Shilpi Sheron (63kg), Geetika Jhakar (69kg) and Kiran (75kg). The three have come in for Anita, Navjot Kaur and Jyoti.
The men's freestyle category will be spearheaded by experienced Mausam Khatri (97kg) as Satywart Kadian failed to bag a quota in this category at the last tournament. Gopal Yadav (86kg) and Hitender (125kg) will be the others fighting here, replacing Somveer and Sumit.
So far four Indians — three in men's freestyle division and one in Greco-Roman category — have qualified for the quadrennial extravaganza.