No one knows exactly why India's only double Olympic champion pulled out of the inaugural edition of the league, refusing to sign the contract just hours before the start of the event.
Sushil Kumar's silence over his non-participation in the ongoing Pro Wrestling League (PWL) has raised doubts about whether his priorities have changed.
No one knows exactly why India's only double Olympic champion pulled out of the inaugural edition of the league, refusing to sign the contract just hours before the start of the event.
Sushil had attracted the second highest bid, Uttar Pradesh Warriors splurging Rs Rs 38.20 lakh to buy him. One version suggests that Sushil wasn't comfortable with the idea of going under the hammer as an 'item' during the players' auction last month.
While some alleged that after Ukraine's female wrestler Oksana Herhel was bought for Rs 41.3 lakh as the league's costliest buy, Sushil was not happy with his original amount. His amount was later revised by the UP team management and Sushil was given an additional Rs 11 lakh to make him the costliest buy at Rs 49.20 lakh.
What made matters worse was a tweet by Bangalore team owner Parth Jindal, where he wrote that Sushil is "scared of fighting against Narsingh Yadav" in 74kg category.
The league's commercial right holders, Pro Sportify, and PWL governing council member Rashmi Suleja said on Friday that Sushil's "priorities" had changed, and that he was too busy with other professional commitments.
"He (Sushil) has a lot of priorities these days like Roadies (a reality show) and other such things. I think his priorities have changed. He is a busy man," Suleja said.
However, people close to Sushil say "he has not recovered fully from his shoulder injury and did not want to aggravate it by participating in the league". This arguments holds water keeping in mind that the 2016 Rio Olympics is just around the corner.
Whatever the reason, by remaining mum, Sushil is allowing the league officials to make statements on his behalf, which is hardly doing any good for him.
Narsingh avenges World C'ship defeat against Unurbut
Narsingh Pancham Yadav took just six minutes to avenge his World Championship defeat against Purevjav Unurbut as Bengaluru Yodhas decimated Uttar Pradesh Warriors 6-1 to start their PWL campaign on a winning note. Narsingh, playing the last match of Friday, turned the heat on his Mongolian rival from the first move itself as the 26-year-old Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist registered a lop-sided 9-1 win over Unurbut in the 74kg category.
Narsingh twice pinned him down with an impressive headlock, while also managing to push him outside the mat on a couple of occasions. Results (Day 2): 57kg: Sergey Ratushniy (UP Warriors) lost to Sandeep Tomar (Bengaluru Yodhas) 2-4; 65kg: Rahul Mann (UP Warriors) lost to Bajrang Punia (Bengaluru Yodhas) 2-10; 48kg: Kogut Oleksandra (UP Warriors) lost Alyssa Lampe (Bengaluru Yodhas) 4-5; 97kg: Satyavart Kadian (UP Warriors) lost to Pavlo Oliynik (Bengaluru Yodhas) 1-2; 53kg: Babita Kumari (UP Warriors) beat Lalita Sherawat (Bengaluru Yodhas) 8-2; 58kg: Ritu Malik (UP Warriors) lost to Yuliya Ratkevich (Bengaluru Yodhas) 1-4 by fall; 74kg: Purevjav Unurbat (UP Warriors) lost to Narsingh Pancham Yadav (Bengaluru Yodhas) 9-1
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