15 hours ago
‘UP wrestler will win Olympic medal in 2028'
1
2
3
4
The trials to select the Indian team for the Under-20 Asian Wrestling Championship, scheduled to be held from July 8 to 13 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, held at the Regional Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility on Saturday.
On the sidelines of the trials, Fazal Khan spoke to the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Sanjay Singh, about various aspects of wrestling, ongoing training camps, and preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Excerpts:
Q: What steps are being taken to popularise wrestling at the grassroots level across the country?
A: Since I took over the Wrestling Federation of India, there have been many positive developments.
Last year, our female athletes won several medals at the Under-17 and Under-23 Asian Championships held in Jordan, and our women wrestlers were crowned champions at the Under-17 World Championship. We are closely monitoring the performance and fitness of every athlete competing nationally and internationally.
We remain in constant touch with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) regarding the athletes' dietary needs and any additional requirements.
Issues related to training camps have been resolved — men are training in Lucknow, and women in Sonipat. Recently, the Indian wrestling team participated in the World Championship Rankings, and five women wrestlers returned with gold medals. India won a total of 21 medals.
Q: Why hasn't Uttar Pradesh produced as many international players as states like Punjab and Haryana?
A: You could say that Haryana excels not only in wrestling but in all sports.
One key reason is the active involvement of parents and good coaches in the athletes' development, which contributes greatly to their success.
Q: Two WFI presidents, including yourself and your predecessor, have come from UP. Do you think a world-class wrestling arena can be set up in the state?
A: When Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was WFI president, he met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and there was a plan to build a large, world-class wrestling arena in Lucknow.
However, no work has started on it yet. I urge the chief minister to consider restarting this project.
Q: Do you think we need more trained coaches to guide wrestlers from the grassroots to the senior level?
A: The Wrestling Federation of India conducts United World Wrestling (UWW) Level One, Level Two, and Level Three courses for coaches every six months. In WFI programmes, it is mandatory for any coach involved to have completed the UWW Level One course — without it, they are not allowed to coach.
Q: How prepared is WFI for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics?
A: We are expecting to win around five medals at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. A female wrestler from Uttar Pradesh is also expected to bring home a medal this time.
Q: What steps are being taken at the grassroots level to discover budding talent across the country?
A: WFI is actively identifying wrestlers at the grassroots level. Talented individuals are being discovered through small wrestling academies — many of them run by former wrestlers — and local tournaments. We then provide them opportunities to compete in bigger tournaments and eventually bring them into the SAI system.
