The Wrestling Federation of India has dropped all four Phogat sisters- Geeta, Babita, Ritu and Sangita- from the national camp for the Asian Games. The authority took the harsh decision due to the ‘tantrums and indiscipline’ of the four sisters. As a result, they will not be allowed to take part in the Asiad trials scheduled for May 2018, which will effectively end their hopes of representing the country in the Jakarta Palembang Games to be held in Indonesia in August-September 2018.
“The wrestlers selected for the national camp are expected to physically report to the camp within 3 days. But Geeta, Babita and others (in all 13) did not do that. This is serious indiscipline on their part and the WFI felt it’s time to pull the plug. If they have any problems or issues they should go there and report it to the coaches and find a solution,” WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told.
The Phogat sisters have been issued show cause notice with the WFI seeking explanation for their breach of conduct. Apart from them 11 other wrestlers also met similar fate. The list includes another celebrated wrestler- Satyawart Kadian, the 2016 Asian Championship gold medallist and 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
According to WFI, if the absent wrestlers had informed them in advance, then the Federation would not have taken such a decision. It is to be noted that Olympic bronze medallist, Sakshi Malik, had informed about her injury and was therefore excused from the camp. Brj Bhushan Sharan Singh further informed, “Sushil Kumar requested us to allow him to train at Chhatrasal stadium with Harpool and Sumit, so we allowed him as well. Same is the case with Praveen Rana who is injured and notified us in advance.”
WRESTLERS AXED FROM NATIONAL CAMP:
Ritu Phogat (50kg), Indu Choudhury (50kg), Babita Pogat (53kg), Sangeeta Phogat (57kg), Geeta Pogat (59kg), Ravita (59kg), Pooja Tomar (62kg), nandini Salokhe (62kg), Reshma Mane (62kg) Anju (65kg), Manu Tomar (72kg), Kamini (72kg), Shravan (61kg) and Satyawart Kadian (97kg).