The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ set up Oversight Committee – which handles the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India – on Thursday cleared a 36-member strong Indian wrestling contingent for the Ranking Series Zagreb Open Grand Prix in Croatia. The event is scheduled to take place from February 1 to 5.
The list of wrestlers includes the likes of Tokyo Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Deepak Punia, bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and silver medallist Ravi Dahiya.
“A total of 12 women wrestlers, 11 Greco Roman wrestlers and 13 male freestyle wrestlers are set for competition. Some of the key wrestlers who have been sanctioned to participate in the Ranking Series include Tokyo Olympians Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik and Deepak Punia as well as wrestlers who have done well in the Nationals,” read a statement by the Sports Authority of India.
“The contingent has been recommended by the Oversight Committee set up by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.”
The Oversight Committee was formed earlier this week to look after the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India, after the president of the sports body was accused by the country’s star wrestlers of sexual intimidation and mismanagement. The sports ministry formed the committee – led by six-time World Champion boxer MC Mary Kom and including 2012 London Olympic bronze medal-winning wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt – to investigate the allegations.
For the time during the investigation, which the ministry stated will last four weeks, the federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was asked to step aside from his post.
The upcoming competition in Zagreb will be the first international event for the sport this year. The dominant women’s wrestling team of Japan is set to return to a Ranking Series event after an absence of five years.
The full entry list for the event is available here.
Update from PTI:
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