In an ideal world, politics and sport are not meant to be mixed. But then the world of Indian wrestling was far from ideal in 2024 with Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic dejection and the never-ending administrative chaos pulling down a once flourishing sport. From the time when Wrestling Federation of India elections were held, exactly a year back, to the recent National Championships in Benglauru, Indian wrestling has seemed like a rudderless ship. Not too long ago, wrestling had developed into a sport that promised unprecedented Olympic success but cut to Paris 2024, Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal was what saved the delegation the blushes after Phogat’s seemingly destined gold slipped through her grasp due to a cruel twist of fate.

She was, for better or for worse, the most intriguing story of Indian wrestling this year.

She punished herself to fight in a lower weight category after her preferred class was already booked for the Olympics, downed the then unbeaten Japanese legend Yui Susaki in her opening round in Paris and then ended up disqualified for being 100gm overweight on the morning of the final.

A day later, she gave up on her sporting career, declaring that the fight had left her.

She wasn’t done though. Following an emotionally overwhelming homecoming which included a custom-made gold medal from Haryana’s khap panchayats, Phogat joined the Congress party, fought the state assembly elections and managed to become an MLA in her maiden electoral outing from Julana constituency.

She wasn’t the only one in her fraternity who decided on politics as future.

Bajrang Punia too joined the Congress but he did not get the same returns as Phogat.

His position was that of a Kisan morcha head and his wrestling career was left stalled after coping a four-year ban for failure to submit dope samples during training camps. This was after he failed to qualify for Paris, a new low in the career of the celebrated grappler, who fetched a bronze in the Tokyo Games.

The two maintained all along that their fight against alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers by former WFI head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was an apolitical one.

But their fellow protestor and Rio Olympics bronze-winner Sakshi Malik sought to dispute that soon after they joined congress.She went on to allege in her book that the the duo’s “greed” punctured their protest against Sharan Singh.

Next generation affected by chaos

The likes of Anshu Malik and Antim Panghal, who were touted as the next big thing in Indian wrestling, cut a sorry figure in Paris but Aman carried forward the rich legacy of the Chhatrasal stadium by winning the men’s freestyle 57kg bronze.

It was a category which 2020 Tokyo Games silver-medallist Ravi Dahiya made his own. But Dahiya vanished from the scene due to spate of injuries that affected his form.

The Tokyo campaign, which yielded two medals in wrestling, should have been the catalyst for better infrastructure and coaching for Indian wrestler.

However, the developments in the last 24 months have prevented growth.

The potential is still there and the biggest example was Indian U17 women team’s world championship victory in Amman, Jordan in September.

The country had been aiming for a podium finish for long and the dream finally materialised this year. Out of 10 possible medals, India won eight medals, including five gold medal and one silver.

Finishing ahead of powerhouse Japan and impressive Kazakhstan is no mean feat.

However, the unending litigations have tied the hands of WFI which is now struggling to carry out day to day affairs of the body.

The team led by Sanjay Singh, that won the elections, stands suspended by the Sports Ministry.

The ground of suspension is announcing Nationals without following a 15-day notice period in December 2023. But the fact remains that if WFI had followed the notice period, wrestlers would have lost a crucial year because by the time the 15-day period would have completed, year 2024 would have started.

WFI was forced to withdraw the team from the senior World Championship owing to pending litigation by Sakshi and and her wrestler husband Satyawart Kadian.

Eventually after government’s intervention a team was finally sent.

No proper coaching camp has been organised in the last two years, the efforts to revive the Pro Wrestling League are on hold, grants and sponsorships have stopped, no foreign/personal coaches have been engaged and there is no planning to take the sport forward.

If the situation could be summed up in a line, Indian wrestling is stagnant for now. 

Indian Olympic Association Treasurer Sahdev Yadav on Tuesday hit back at president PT Usha for claiming that IOA Executive Committee members were not agreeing on a proposal to felicitate Paris Olympics medal-winners, saying her assertion is a “blatant lie”. Usha on Monday said that it was “deeply concerning” that the EC members failed to honour Olympic medallists and accused the Finance Committee of blocking funds intended to support Indian athletes’ preparation for the Paris Games.

In a rebuttal to Usha’s claims, Sahdev said, “… there has been no discussion with EC members nor any official proposal in writing for organizing a felicitation ceremony for the medallists of Paris Olympics 2024.” Sahdev, who is also the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, accused Usha of “spreading lies” and “cooking up” things instead of taking responsibilities as per the IOA constitution.

“…we fail to understand why IOA President is spreading lies across the whole country, to put down the EC members, which does not have any proof nor hold any genuine ground,” he said.

“… her repeated efforts and proposals are nothing but blatant lies which has been cooked by the President every now and then and shedding crocodile tears in front of the media.” India secured six medals in the Paris Olympics, including two historic bronze finishes by young shooter Manu Bhaker, but Usha on Monday said the “EC does not want to celebrate their success” and it makes her “very sad.” “These athletes have made the nation proud, and it is the responsibility of the IOA to celebrate their achievements with the respect they deserve.

“It is deeply concerning that, even after returning home in mid-August, the EC has failed to discuss or take any steps towards organizing a formal felicitation ceremony,” she had said in a statement.

She had also revealed that a proposal for a preparatory grant of Rs two lakh for each Olympic-bound athlete and Rs one lakh for each coach had been blocked by the Finance Committee, notably by Sahdev.

Reacting to this, Sadev said, “This is for the information of everyone that any proposal recommended and approved by the EC members and finance committee has been paid without any delay by Mr Sahdev Yadav, Treasurer of IOA.” The internal feud within the IOA has been on since the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as its CEO on January 5. Iyer has Usha’s backing while the EC members are unanimous in demanding his removal.

The bone of contention has been his salary of Rs 20 lakh per month, along with perks.

On September 26, an EC meeting was called to resolve the issue on the insistence of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but the deadlock remained.

On Saturday, the 12 EC members sent a letter to senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Jerome Poivey, accusing Usha of running the organisation in an “autocratic” manner after she rejected their demand to remove Iyer as IOA CEO during the contentious meeting.

Usha had called the accusations “malicious and false,” asserting that they were aimed at undermining her leadership and the efforts to improve Indian sports.

Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Aman Sehrawat, along with former world championship bronze-winner Geeta Phogat, on Monday announced that they would soon launch a Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL) for the country’s budding grapplers but the national federation has refused to sanction the initiative. Sakshi, along with Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, had spearheaded the wrestlers’ protest against ousted Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment.

Sakshi has, however, distanced herself from the latter two after they took the political plunge by joining Congress ahead of next month’s Haryana assembly elections.

She won the 58kg bronze in 2016 Rio Olympics, and announced the project with Phogat, a 55kg bronze winner in 2012 World Championships through their social media handles. The two, while announcing that they had Paris Games bronze-winner Aman on board, did not provide any details.

Phogat told PTI that she is hopeful of support from the federation and the government.

“Sakshi and I have been planning this League for long. Soon it will take a final shape. We have not yet spoken to the WFI but it would be great if WFI and government support us. It will be the first league that will be operated only by the players,” Phogat said.

“We are doing it for the players, for their benefit. That is the idea and vision, so no one should have any problem with it. It’s a proud moment for us. We won’t stop anyone from getting involved in it, if WFI or government comes on board, even better. We have not yet spoken to them.

“There will be international wrestlers, and coaches involved, so it should help our junior wrestlers. They will get good exposure.” The WFI said it would not give its sanction to the league.

“We won’t approve it. We are reviving our pro wrestling league and hopefully we will have it soon. The wrestlers are free to do their own league, they can promote the game, but we won’t be linked with that,” WFI President Sanjay Singh said.

Asked if there will be prize money involved, and about the format and venue for the event, Phogat said, “You will have to wait a bit to know all this. We will share the details very soon.” Sakshi, who retired from wrestling after Sharan Singh’s close aide Sanjay Singh became WFI head, said she hopes to give back to the sport through this initiative.

“The only way to repay your trust is to dedicate our sporting talent, experience, grit & success to the service of the sport. The 2 of us have therefore come together to create the Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL),” she posted on X.

“The WCSL, a world class international league, will skill & strengthen our wrestlers to dominate the sport globally by taking on the world’s best in a hyper competitive, expertly supervised environment with best-in-class support systems in place.” She also said that Sehrawat, who won bronze in 57kg in Paris Olympics, also “shares our vision and is joining us on this journey.” “This league is a very commendable initiative which will help Indian wrestling greatly and therefore I want to be a part of it and support it fully,” Aman was uoted as saying by Sakshi.

Daughter of noted wrestling coach Mahavir, Geeta is a cousin of Vinesh, who will be contesting from Julana constituency during the Haryana elections.

Sakshi said the aim of the league is to build a culture of sustained high performance in the sport in the country.

“While WCSL is focused on wrestling, it is inspired also by our overwhelming urge to build a culture of sustained high performance in Indian sport & motivate every Indian to experience the joy of playing.

“Although founded by the 2 of us, the WCSL is a national mission committed to respecting & working in close partnership with all stakeholders. Winning, afterall, is a team sport. Our hearts beat only for India, for Indian wrestling & for Indian sport. Come, let’s build the sporting India of our dreams mil ke, ek saath!”

India’s ace Olympian Manu Bhaker arrived at the Kaun Banega Crorepati stage after her twin-medal heroics in the Paris Olympics 2024. Manu returned home from Paris with two bronze medals to her name and has since been in the media and social media spotlight. On Thursday, Manu was spotted at the sets of KBC, with fellow Olympian Aman Sehrawat, who also bagged a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics. On the hot seat, Manu had some intriguing conversations with Amitabh Bachchan, including the technique she uses while shooting at the big stage.

During the chatter on the show, Amitabh Bachchan said that he would always wonder why shooters take such big gaps between shots before being explained the logic by his son Abhishek.

“I used to wonder why shooters waited so long after taking a shot. I couldn’t grasp it until Abhishek Bachchan explained that they’re controlling their breathing and heart rate; that’s why they take their time.”

Aaj aa rahi hain Desh ki shaan Manu Bhaker KBC par sabka dil jeetne! Let’s cheer for olympic medalist #ManuBhaker

Dekhiye #KaunBanegaCrorepati #OlympiansSpecial, aaj raat 9 baje sirf #SonyEntertainmentTelevision par.@SrBachchan #ManuBhakerOnKBC #KBConSonyTV #KBC16 #KBC2024 pic.twitter.com/LFguMhzEin

— sonytv (@SonyTV) September 5, 2024

Manu also shed light on the topic, explaining why breathing techniques to calm down the heart is so important between shots.

“At the start, having a strong foundation is crucial, and that applies to everything. Many people think shooting is simple — just pick up the pistol and aim, but it’s much more complex than that. During a match, our heart rate accelerates, and we must remain composed, even if we’re feeling anxious.

“Controlling that anxiousness or nervousness takes time and practice. To maintain focus, I rely heavily on yoga, Surya Namaskar, and meditation. I follow this routine with strict discipline. Additionally, I use a breathing technique with a 4:8 ratio: inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for eight seconds. Mastering this through practice helps normalise my heart rate. During matches, when nerves make our hands shake while aiming, this breathing exercise helps me stay calm and focused,” she revealed.

Aman Sehrawat with Dilip Joshi© Instagram

After his playful ‘choorma banter’ with javelin star Neeraj Chopra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared another lighthearted moment, this time with Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning wrestler Aman Sehrawat. During an interaction with the Indian Olympic contingent at his residence, PM Modi congratulated Aman on becoming India’s youngest Olympic medallist. The Prime Minister, with a broad smile, then asked Aman if he had any of his favourite food after returning from Paris. The 21-year-old Haryana native smiled and replied, “I haven’t gone home yet, sir.”

PM Modi quipped, “Humein bolte, hum banwa dete kuch” (You should’ve told us; we could’ve made something for you!)

Aman, in his typical Haryanvi accent, responded with simplicity, “Ghar jake choorma toh khaange hi (Once I’m home, I’ll definitely have choorma).

Sehrawat, who lost his parents at a tender age of 10, trains and resides at New Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, defeated Puerto Rico’s Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 to win the bronze medal at the Champ-de-Mars Arena and extended India’s wrestling medal streak at the Olympics, which began at the Beijing Games in 2008.

He joined Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia as India’s Olympics medallist wrestlers.

Earlier, PM Modi had a candid moment with silver medallist Neeraj Chopra during an interaction with athletes ahead of their departure for the Paris Games.

During their humorous banter, PM Modi joked, “Mera choorma abhi tak aaya nahi” (I haven’t received my churma yet), sparking laughter all around.

With a shy smile, Neeraj replied, “Is baar Haryana wala choorma khilayenge sir, pichli baar Delhi ka cheeni wala khaya tha (This time I will treat you with churma from Haryana; last time we had the sugary one from Delhi).”

The Prime Minister eagerly expressed his craving for homemade churma, saying, “Mujhe tumhari maa ke haath ka choorma khana hai” (I want to savour churma made by your mother).

Later, Neeraj’s mother Saroj Devi promised PM Modi that she will send a special ‘choorma’ (a popular delicacy from Haryana and Rajasthan) for him.

The Indian contingent ended Paris Olympics 2024 with six medals – one lesser than their tally at the previous Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. It was a mixed show from India as multiple athletes finished 4th in their respective categories and missed out on a medal by the smallest of margins. Shooter Manu Bhaker was the top performer with two medals – a unique feat by an athlete from independent India – while Neeraj Chopra claimed the sliver medal in men’s javelin throw. The Indian men’s hockey team claimed their second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics thanks to a great show by skipper Harmanpreet Singh. A look at all the cash prizes that the Paris Olympics 2024 medalists will receive –

Manu Bhaker (Shooting)

Manu Bhaker scripted history by becoming the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in the same edition of the Olympics. She was awarded a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya. The 22-year-old was also one of India’s flag bearers at the Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony.

Sarabjot Singh (Shooting)

Sarabjot Singh won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Manu Bhaker. The 22-year-old from Ambala was awarded a Rs 22.5 lakh cheque by Mansukh Mandaviya through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ cash award scheme. He was also offered a job by the Haryana government as a show of appreciation but he decided to decline the offer.

Swapnil Kusale (Shooting)

Swapnil Kusale became the first Indian shooter ever to win bronze in the men’s 50m Rifle 3 Position event at the Olympics. Following his success, Swapnil was appointed as an offer on special duty by the Central Railway. He also received a prize of Rs 1 crore from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Indian men’s hockey team

The Indian men’s hockey team won their second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics after defeating Spain 2-1. It was the perfect farewell for goalkeeper PR Sreejesh who was also one of the flag bearers in the closing ceremony. Hockey India has announced a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh for each member of the team and Rs 7.5 lakh for each member of the support staff. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi has announced a prize of Rs 4 crore for defender Amit Rohidas. He also announced a prize of Rs 15 lakh for each player and Rs 10 lakh for each support staff member. In Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a prize of Rs 1 crore for all squad members from the state. That also included captain Harmapreet Singh who was the top-scorer at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw)

Neeraj Chopra claimed silver at the Paris Olympics 2024 javelin throw event with the gold medal going to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who broke the Olympic record with a monster 92.97m throw. While no official announcement has been made about Neeraj’s cash prizes, it is expected that he will receive multiple awards from various sources. In 2021, when he claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympics, he was awarded a cash prize of Rs 6 crore by the Haryana Government.

Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling)

Aman Sehrawat was the only Indian wrestler to win a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 as he claimed bronze in the 57m freestyle event. He also became the youngest Indian athlete to win an Olympics medal. No official announcement has been made about the cash prizes he will receive.

Aman Sehrawat won wrestling bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024© AFP

Grappler Aman Sehrawat became India’s youngest ever Olympic medallist by clinching the 57kg free-style category bronze less than a month after his 21st birthday to complete a memorable Games debut and lift the sagging spirits of the controversy-hit national wrestling contingent on Friday. Sehrawat, who turned 21 on July 16, notched up a commanding 13-5 win over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in a high-intensity third-place contest.

Before him, the celebrated P V Sindhu held the title of being India’s youngest Olympic podium finisher after she claimed a silver in the 2016 Games at the age of 21 years, one month and 14 days.

Sehrawat has not even completed a month since turning 21. His effort helped India win its sixth medal and move closer to the Tokyo Games tally of seven. The country has so far secured one silver and five bronze, including today’s medal.

“It’s been a long time since I won a medal for my country. I had to do something about it. I would like to say to the people of India that I will definitely win a gold for you in 2028,” the youngster, who was raised by his grandfather after losing his parents as a child, said after his triumph.

“The target was gold but I had to be content with bronze this time. I had to forget the semifinal defeat. I told myself, let it go and focus on next. Sushil pehlawan ji won two medals, I will win in 2028 and then in 2032 also,” he added enthusiastically.

The U-23 world champion was the lone Indian male wrestler to qualify for the Paris Games and he did not disappoint. Wrestling has not missed a medal at the Olympics since 2008 and Sehrawat’s effort ensured the streak remained unbroken.

Sushil Kumar broke the glass ceiling by winning the bronze in Beijing (2008), and since then Yogeshwar Dutt (2012), Sakshi Malik (2016), Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia (2021) have kept the tradition intact.

Coach Jagmender Singh and Virender Dahiya said they spent a sleepless night to monitor Sehrawat’s weight.

“We took special precautions to reduce his weight. We kept checking his weight every hour. We didn’t sleep the whole night,” Dahiya said.

Lifts spirits of wrestling contingent

A lot was expected from women wrestlers but Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Nisha Dahiya (68kg) could not reach the medal rounds in their respective categories.

On the other hand, Vinesh Phogat (50kg) lost despite entering the final as she was disqualified from the gold-medal bout for being 100gm overweight.

The disqualification led to a huge uproar in the country and Vinesh has challenged her ouster in the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The hearing concluded on Friday and a decision is expected by Sunday evening.

Teenager Panghal also landed herself in trouble for sending her sister to the Games Village on her accreditation card. She was deported along with her entourage on Thursday after a first-round loss.

Shows off aggressive moves

It was a fast-paced bout with quick moves from the two rival wrestlers.

Once Sehrawat got a measure of his opponent, he did not give much of a chance to the Puerto Rican.

He built a healthy 6-3 lead by the end of first period with consecutive takedown moves.

As is usually the case, Sehrawat, who thrives on a high-endurance game, first tried to wear down his opponent and then went for the kill.

With dominating technical-superiority wins over Vladimir Egorov and Zelimkhan Abakarov, the Indian wrestler stormed into the semifinals without conceding a single point but was no match for Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the semifinals.

Tough beginning

Having lost his parents at a tender age of 11, the famed Chhatrasal stadium — where his father had enrolled him in 2013 — became Sehrawat’s second home.

The stadium that became his shelter was the one gave India four Olympic medallists — Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.

And Sehrawat ensured that he joined the roll of honour as the youngest among the giants who did it before him.

Reetika Hooda (76kg) will be in action on Saturday, and if she wins a medal, India will match its Tokyo tally.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Indian grappler Aman Sehrawat for clinching the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics.

Mr Sehrawat, making his Olympic debut, secured the medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz on Friday, marking India’s first wrestling medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

PM Modi praised him for his “dedication and perseverance” in a post on X.

More pride thanks to our wrestlers!

Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2024

“More pride thanks to our wrestlers! Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat,” PM Modi wrote.

Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah also lauded Mr Sehrawat for his achievement.

“Congratulations, Aman! With your remarkable perseverance and strength, you have secured the Bronze Medal for India in the wrestling match at the #ParisOlympics2024. The nation is proud of your achievement,” Amit Shah wrote in a post on X.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari expressed his pride in Mr Sehrawat’s accomplishment.

“Heartfelt congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for clinching the Bronze Medal in Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics! Your grit and determination have brought glory to on the world stage. You’ve made the nation proud with your remarkable achievement, inspiring countless others to chase their dreams,” Nitin Gadkari said in a post on X.

During the match, the Puerto Rican grappler initially gained the lead by securing a point with a single-leg hold. However, Mr Sehrawat came back strong, scoring points by targeting Darian Cruz’s shoulders.

After Darian Cruz took the lead with a two-point move, Mr Sehrawat regained control. With 37 seconds left, he secured additional points and won the bout with technical superiority as Mr Cruz attempted a desperate move and conceded another point.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)