Two times Olympic medal winning Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar has filed a petition to the Delhi High Court for a fair trial between him and fellow pugilist Narsingh Yadav for a place in the Indian Olympic wrestling squad, according to the Times of India.
The matter will be heard in the court on Tuesday.
Sushil failed to qualify for the Rio 2016 because of an injury and Narshingh excelled in the qualifiers and bagged a berth for Indian quota in the 74 kg wrestling category.
Dejected Sushil asked Sushil has asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to host a fair trial many times. He feels that since he has won two Olympic medals in the past so he deserves to a have a fair trial with Narsingh Yadav.
But the WFI have stood their ground and made it clear that fair trial is not possible now.
Whoever is better and stronger of us (Sushil and Narsingh Yadav) must be sent to Rio. I am ready for trials. Then only we can determine who is stronger. Our government and federation have spent money on me for the past two years so that I can do something for the country.
Sushil had also never fought in 74 kg category so taller and experienced wrestlers will have an easy task against Sushil. But Narshingh has always fought as a heavyweight wrestler so he is the perfect and first choice for India. And he has proven records in this category.
Earlier, Indian Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday ruled out intervention in the Sushil Kumar-Narshingh Yadav selection battle for the Rio Olympics, saying that the matter is for the Wrestling Federation of India to decide.
“Government has nothing to do with it. The Federation, which is an autonomous body, is the final authority. We stood by the national sports code and respect the autonomy of all sports Federations,” Sonowal said.