India would have won gold medal in Rio Olympics if Sushil Kumar was not stopped from participating: Baba Ramdev

Yoga Guru Ramdev on Tuesday said that India would have bagged at least one gold medal in 2016 Olympics if wrestler Sushil Kumar had not been stopped from participating in the international sporting event.

The freestyle wrestler was not allowed to participate in the 2016 Rio Olympics after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea for a trial to decide on a berth in the 74kg category. Narsingh Yadav was named to represent India ahead of double Olympic-medallist Sushil by virtue of his bronze in Las Vegas 2015.

It is worth mentioning that India did not win a single gold medal in Rio Olympics and returned with only a silver (PV Sindhu, Badminton) and a bronze (Sakshi Malik, Wrestling). 

Ramdev met Sushil Kumar in Delhi after the Olympian's return from Gold Coast where he bagged a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games.

#WATCH: Baba Ramdev says, 'Agar uss samay (Olympic 2016) Sushil ji khelte to ek gold medal Bharat ke khaate mein aur judta aur Bharat ko gaurav milta'. Wrestler Sushil Kumar, gold medalist at #CommonwealthGames2018, met him after returning to India. pic.twitter.com/AWBTkUprAz

— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2018

Kumar claimed gold in the men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling category at the CWG.

The Yoga Guru also met Sumit Malik who won Commonwealth Games gold in the men's 125 kg freestyle class.

"We are all proud of Sushil. Both Sumit and he have made India proud at the Commonwealth Games. I urge the youth to take inspiration from them. Had he (Sushil Kumar) not been stopped from participating in Olympics, India would have bagged one more gold medal there," Ramdev said.

The wrestler also thanked people and Ramdev, while saying that he won the medal because of their blessings.

"I hope the best wishes and blessings of all Indians stay with me so that I keep performing like this. I want to keep playing and winning for India. It's all because of the blessing of the people and Swami ji," he said.

#WATCH: Wrestler Sushil Kumar speaks on his performance at #CommonwealthGames2018, says 'Sab aap logon ki duaien, aashirvaad tha, Swami Ji ka aashirwaad tha jo main achha kar paya'. pic.twitter.com/uPKy14AdEf

— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2018

Speaking about the 2016 Rio Olympics, he said, "I've already forgotten the matter (Olympics 2016) and moved ahead, had this not been the case I couldn't have won this medal."

Sushil hammered his South African opponent, Johannes Botha, 10-0 in the finals of the men's freestyle 74 kg category at the Carrara Sports Arena to clinch his third consecutive CWG gold.

The wrestling contingent of India returned home with a 100% medal return, with all 12 members winning a medal each Down Under, including five gold, three silver and four bronze medals. 

(With ANI inputs)