'Trials will not be postponed': India's Wrestling Federation on injured grappler Sushil Kumar's request

Sushil Kumar's request to postpone the wrestling trials has been denied by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

The body has said that they will go ahead with the trials in the men’s freestyle 74kg category despite injured Sushil Kumar's request. 

Sushil pulled out of Friday’s trials citing a hand injury. The winners in the trials will make the Indian team for 2020 season’s first Ranking Series tournament in Rome (January 15-18), Asian Championship in New Delhi (February 18-23) and Asian Olympic Qualifier in Xian, China from March 27 to 29.

WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told PTI the trails will be held in all categories -- five Olympic classes in men’s freestyle and six in Greco-Roman style.

“Definitely the trials will not be postponed. We will have wrestlers competing in the 74kg. What can we do if Sushil is injured,” Sharan said.

“We will see the performance of the winner in the 74kg in ranking series event. Then we will decide what next step we can take,” Sharan said when asked if Sushil can be given a chance to compete at the Asian Qualifiers.

India has already secured Olympic quotas in three men’s freestyle categories through Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Bajrang (65kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg) while Vinesh Phogat (53kg) was the lone woman grappler to grab a Tokyo Games quota at the World Championships in Nur Sultan.

The celebrated grappler may get a chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in March.

“If the WFI feels that we do not have a strong candidate going for the Asian Qualifier (for Tokyo Games) in March, the federation may ask Sushil to appear in a trial,” said WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar to PTI.

Talking about his injury, Sushil - who was training vigorously with his Russian coach Kamal Malikov - said, “I will be fit in two weeks’ time. Don’t worry, I will be back. I had sustained this hand injury after the Worlds while training. The WFI knew about it. It’s ok if they are going ahead with the trials".

The women’s trials will be held in Lucknow on Saturday.