Narsingh better bet than Sushil, WFI tells HC

New Delhi, May 27 

Wrestler Narsingh Pancham Yadav is a better bet than Sushil Kumar in the 74kg category at the Rio Olympics, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) told the Delhi High Court today.

WFI said Yadav, who has secured the Olympics quota for India, was the "most suitable wrestler" and a better candidate compared to Sushil, adding that the double Olympics medallist had "consistently avoided a face-off" with his Mumbai counterpart in the last two years.

Countering the claims, Sushil alleged that he was being denied a trial as he had not participated in the Pro-Wrestling League. "They (WFI) cannot take such an arbitrary stand that since Sushil has not participated in the Pro-Wrestling League, he will not be given a chance to have a trial," senior counsel Amit Sibal, appearing for Sushil, pleaded.

In its affidavit, WFI said: "Narsingh Yadav has been found to be the best wrestler to represent India in the upcoming Olympic Games. The selection has been made in a completely fair and transparent manner."  It said Yadav was clearly a better candidate in the 74kg category as he had been "dominantly" playing in this category since 2006, while Sushil had contested in the 66kg category till January 2014.

After his name did not figure in India's Rio preparatory camp, 32-year-old Sushil had moved the High Court with a plea to direct the WFI to conduct a selection trial to decide who will represent the country in the men's 74kg category at the Rio Games. 

WFI told the court that the decision to send 26-year-old Yadav to the Rio Olympics was taken by it in a "discreet manner" after evaluating performance of the wrestlers on the basis of their achievements, current performance and assessment of the chief coach and trainers at the training camps. 

Senior advocate Nidesh Gupta, who appeared for Yadav, said the name of his client had been sent for the Olympics as he had secured a quota for the country. "If a trial is conducted today, the qualification events would be rendered meaningless," he said.

On Sushil's allegation that he was not being given an opportunity as he had not participated in the Pro-Wrestling League, the WFI said there was no bias agianst Sushil. "Till date, there has not been even a solitary instance when a person who has won a quota for his country has not been sent for the Olympics," the WFI counsel said. 

However, Sushil's counsel said WFI should try to maximise the chances of winning medals and his client was way ahead as far as international events were concerned. "Holding a trial is one of the best ways to reduce political or other influence and frivolous selection," he said.

He said when the selection trials were conducted in July last year, Sushil could not participate as he was injured. The court has posted the matter for further arguments on May 30 and has asked WFI and Yadav's lawyer to file a short written synopsis by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, when asked why he had not participated in any of the selection trials during the last two years where he could have had a chance to defeat Narsingh Yadav, the petitioner stated that he could not participate in the trials because of the injury. The president and WFI assistant secretary, who maintains the records, however, verified that no medical certificates were submitted by the petitioner. WFI also alleged that Sushil had not taken permission from the chief coach to undergo a separate training in India as well as as Georgia. — PTI