Money offered to throw 2010 world final: Wrestler Sushil Kumar

A file photo of wrestling champion Sushil Kumar who has alleged that he was offered money to throw the 2010 world final.

Indian double Olympic wrestling medallist and former world champion Sushil Kumar has said he was offered cash for losing the 2010 world wrestling championship against his Russian opponent, a news report said on Friday.

The offer came just before the 66-kg freestyle wrestling final in Moscow against Russia’s Alan Gogaev, Mr. Kumar was quoted as saying by a newspaper.

“The money offered was a few crore (a crore is equal to 10 million rupees). For a wrestler it was really good money,” Mr. Kumar said. “It was communicated to one of our foreign coaches,” he added.

“The event was taking place in Russia and my final opponent was a Russian. It’s our country so our player should win - that’s what they seemed to want,” Mr. Kumar said.

Mr. Kumar who went on to defeat Gogaev 3-1, added: “It was not a matter of two-four crores. It was also a matter of honour.”