“All I am asking for is a trial for Rio Games” — the plea by the two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar was on Monday rejected by the Delhi High Court, which said his argument made for “an interesting sound-bite” but was legally untenable.
“In the international arena of sports, medals are won not only by ‘brawl’ but also by ‘brain’. The last-minute challenge can disturb the mental preparation of the selected... A sportsperson innocently asking for ‘just a trial’ may be jeopardising the chances of the selected candidate to win, having disastrous consequences for national interest,” a Bench said.
“In the duel asked for, the country will be the loser,” said a bench of Justice Manmohan while dismissing Sushil Kumar's plea for selection trial with Narsingh Yadav for representing India in the 74kg freestyle category at the Rio Olympics.
The court did not lose sight of the high probability of injury if a trial is ordered now with just two months to go for the Olympics
Notice to WFI official
Issuing a notice to Raj Singh, the vice-president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) as to why perjury proceedings be not initiated against him for lying in an affidavit, Justice Manmohan said, “the Court only hopes that the present litigation is not an offshoot of internal politics of respondent no. 4 —WFI — in which a wrestler has been 'led down the garden path' by an office bearer and/or has been used 'as a pawn' to settle his own score either way.” Mr. Singh had wrongly claimed there were trials in 1996 Atlanta Games between Pappu Yadav and Kaka Pawar. The WFI had clarified that it was only a wild card quota for India back then and Mr Singh was not the coach.
The bench found that without exception, only the quota winners have represented India in the Olympics without undergoing any trial and termed “crucial” the fact that India would have not had a berth in the 74kg category had Narsingh Yadav not won a Bronze in the World Championship September 2015.
Sushil Kumar is a legend. He should go to Rio - to support Nar singh from the sidelines . Will only enhance his stature .
— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) >June 6, 2016
(This report has been edited for a factual error)
