In a wrestling administrative upheaval in Haryana, wrestlers find themselves caught in a crossfire as the state federation announces two separate trials to form the team for the Senior National Championships. The move follows the announcement of the National Championships by the IOA ad-hoc panel, scheduled in Jaipur from Feb 2-5, and the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) labeling it ‘illegal’ while planning an alternative event.
The president of the Harayana Amateur Wrestling Association (HAWA), Rohtash Singh, declared trials from Jan 17-18 in Sonipat, while the general secretary issued another circular calling for trials in Hisar on January 13 and 14. This administrative turmoil has left wrestlers in a dilemma, fearing the consequences for their careers.
“We cannot attend two state trials because they are close to each other, and we are also worried about our future. We don’t know who will send entries, what will happen in the next few months, and who will be governing the federation?” expressed a Commonwealth Games medallist wrestler anonymously.
Coach Rajesh Saroha from Sonipat emphasized the need for clarity, stating, “The wrestlers should not suffer; they have suffered last year because of all such mess around the sport. There should be clarity from the sports ministry.”
While Rohtash mentions the trials for the Sr National Championships in Jaipur, another circular refers to it as Haryana Senior State Wrestling Championships. The WFI had previously announced plans to hold the Sr Nationals in Maharashtra in late January.
The Senior Nationals, which were not held last year due to administrative turmoil, are crucial for wrestlers, and the uncertainty adds to their challenges. The WFI contends that the ad-hoc panel lacks authority to organize the national championships, asserting that WFI will conduct the event.
A decision on the location of the Senior Nationals is expected during the WFI executive committee meeting in Delhi on Jan 16.
