Coach equates WFI with a mule, faces ban

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 13

Kripa Shankar Bishnoi, a celebrity wrestling coach and Arjuna awardee, is staring at a ban of six years for comparing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with a mule on social media. Bishnoi, who shot to fame after training Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan for the role of a tough wrestler in Dangal, has also been stopped from coaching women wrestlers at the SAI centre in Lucknow, where he’s posted as an assistant coach.

WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has already issued a show-cause notice to the coach for belittling the federation. Bishnoi has been given time until next Wednesday to explain his conduct, failing which he would be barred for six years from all wrestling activities.

Bishnoi criticised WFI for partially implementing the new set of rules issued, by the United World Wrestling (UWW), at the forthcoming Senior National Championships in Indore from November 15 to 18. 

While WFI will conduct the competition in all 10 weight categories — as proposed by UWW — it has decided against introducing a few other rules, most notable being the two-day competition format. This format requires the wrestlers to weigh-in on the morning of their competition, with a 2kg allowance for the second day. 

Bishnoi took to social media to vent his ire, and compared WFI’s thinking behind the decision with that of a mule. Bishnoi didn’t stop there and added the image of a mule on the federation’s logo. WFI president took umbrage at the “derogatory act” and issued the show-cause notice to Bishnoi. Bishnoi couldn’t be reached for his comments.

Nationals compulsory

Meanwhile, WFI has made participation in the Nationals mandatory for all top wrestlers. According to WFI, the wrestlers skipping the Nationals would not be considered for the national camp for the Commonwealth Championships later this year and next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.