National wrestling contingent performance graph dips at the Asian Championships in Kazakhstan

Mahavir Prasad Bishnoi, Dronacharya awardee in wrestling, feels the overall dip in performance of the Indian wrestling contingent ahead of the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 is a worrying sign. Bishnois' comments came as India are set to contest the World Wrestling Championships and Asian Games this year.

The Indian team finished overall fifth in the 2022 edition held in Mongolia, while slipping down to seventh spot in Kazakhstan in 2023.

In 2022, the Indian wrestlers won 17 medals, including one gold, five silver and 11 bronze. While in 2023, the overall medal tally was 14, including one gold, three silver and 10 bronze medals.

The 2022 Tokyo Olympic Games silver medalist Ravi Dahiya won solitary gold for India in men’s 57kg freestyle event in Mongolia, while Aman Sehrawat clinched gold in the 57kg freestyle category in Kazakhstan. Dahiya skipped the 2023 Asian meet due to a knee injury.

The Dronacharya awardee and national coach blamed the ongoing dispute between the elite wrestlers, who protested against the functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in January in New Delhi, for a not-so-encouraging performance in Kazakhstan.

“The ongoing dispute between WFI and elite wrestlers has had a negative impact on the performance of the national team,” the national wrestling coach added. “Several wrestlers were uncertain whether to compete at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana or not.”

The sports ministry disbanded WFI in January and constituted a committee to oversee the day-to-day functioning of the WFI. The Asian Wrestling Championships trials to select the national team were conducted by the sports ministry panel.

“Off the field issues do impact results during the competition,” the Dronacharya awardee said.

The Indian men’s freestyle team finished a creditable second with 152 points behind powerhouse Iran (201 points) in 2022. In 2023, the national men’s team could collect only 99 points to finish seventh. Host Kazakhstan topped the table with 179 points.

The women’s freestyle, however, slightly improved their position at the Asian Wrestling Championship by finishing third (143 points) behind China (149 points) and Japan (205 points). In the 2022 edition in Mongolia, India women’s freestyle team was fourth with 137 points.

However, in the Greco Roman event, India finished sixth with 115 points in Kazakhstan. Iran, with 196 points, was declared the overall winner in the Greco Roman.

The national wrestling coach was hopeful of Indian wrestlers bouncing back at the World Wrestling Championships, which is the first Paris Olympic Games qualification event.

“We hope top wrestlers are able to prepare better for the World Championships,” the national wrestling coach added.