WFI pulls up Sakshi, Divya for poor show at World Championship

At the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where most Indian wrestlers won a gold, Sakshi could manage only a bronze while another third-place finish at the Asian Championship later that year added to her frustrations.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) demanded explanation from Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik for their early exit at the recently-concluded World Championships in Nur Sultan. The federation also pulled up Divya Kakran, who competes in the 68kg category, for losing in the first round while questioned bronze medal winner Bajrang Punia’s coach Shako Bentinidis for challenging referee’s decisions which, they believe, cost him the semifinal bout.

Upset with the performances, WFI president Brijbhushan Saran Singh had personal discussions with the wrestlers and coaches soon after the bouts at the World Championships. The federation, an official said, was worried in particular over Sakshi’s form. Sakshi, who competes in the 62 kg category, lost in the first round to Nigeria’s Aminat Adeniyi.

It was in the continuance of her recent struggles — at the 2018 Worlds, she had lost in the quarterfinals while the year before that, she had made another first-round exit. At the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where most Indian wrestlers won a gold, Sakshi could manage only a bronze while another third-place finish at the Asian Championship later that year added to her frustrations.

The form of Greco-Roman wrestlers, as well as a few freestylers like Divya, has also bothered the WFI. “She has been underperforming consistently. The government is spending a lot of money on the athletes and giving them all the facilities they need. It is important to know why the desired results are not being achieved,” a federation official said. “The federation’s president spoke to her and other wrestlers immediately after their bout. We will continue to monitor their progress.”

Bajrang, meanwhile, lost his semifinal bout against Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov under controversial circumstances last Thursday. After conceding a massive lead, Bajrang fought back in the 65kg semifinal to level the scores 9-9. The bout ended at that score but since Niyazbekov was given a bigger throw of four points in the bout, he was declared the winner.

The four-point decision, in fact, was at the heart of a major controversy, with the Indian side claiming they were denied points due to a refereeing error. Bentinidis had challenged the decision but was unsuccessful, resulting in a point deduction for Bajrang.

Brijbhushan, according to the WFI official, questioned Bentinidis’s decision to challenge the call. “He acted impulsively and showed immaturity. The failed challenge ultimately proved to be the difference,” the official said. “Bentinidis has assured he will be careful in such scenarios going forward and promised to help Bajrang win gold in Tokyo.”

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