NEW DELHI: Performance comes before reputation. Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, Rio Games bronze winner Sakshi Malik, and the famous Phogat sisters, Geeta and Babita, are learning this lesson a hard way.
In a clear signal to Sushil and Sakshi that it's time for them to either step up their performance at future international meets or leave the wrestling scene, the country's two celebrated wrestlers have been put in 'Grade B' of the soon-to-be-introduced central contract system for grapplers by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its commercial arm, Sporty Solutionz.
The snub has come soon after the Sports Authority of India's decision to drop the names of Sushil and the two Phogat sisters from the government-funded Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme while putting Sakshi on notice until the 2019 Asian Championships.
TOI has reliably learnt that the categorisation of grades has been done in five segments for seniors, which include slabs of Rs 30 lakh, Rs 20 lakh, Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. It's been done based on a wrestler's recent form and his/her future medal chances.
The top bracket of Rs 30 lakh is for elite wrestlers and Sushil and Sakshi haven't found a mention in it, owing to their below-par performances since the Rio Games. Geeta and Babita haven't been offered central contracts, officials involved with the development informed.
"Sushil and Sakshi have been accommodated in Grade B of Rs 20 lakh. Their performance chart has shown a rapid decline. Sushil is nowhere close to his former self, while Sakshi hasn't been able to replicate her Rio Olympics form," an official said.
"Only Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Pooja Dhanda have been offered Grade A contract. Similarly, upcoming wrestlers like Ritu Phogat and Ravi Kumar, among others, have been put in Grade B, while Grade C, D and E form the other group of wrestlers," added the official.
TOI understands that Sushil and Sakshi haven't been informed about their grades and WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh will talk to them separately on the sidelines of the senior Nationals in Gonda (UP) from November 29 to December 2.
In a clear signal to Sushil and Sakshi that it's time for them to either step up their performance at future international meets or leave the wrestling scene, the country's two celebrated wrestlers have been put in 'Grade B' of the soon-to-be-introduced central contract system for grapplers by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its commercial arm, Sporty Solutionz.
The snub has come soon after the Sports Authority of India's decision to drop the names of Sushil and the two Phogat sisters from the government-funded Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme while putting Sakshi on notice until the 2019 Asian Championships.
TOI has reliably learnt that the categorisation of grades has been done in five segments for seniors, which include slabs of Rs 30 lakh, Rs 20 lakh, Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. It's been done based on a wrestler's recent form and his/her future medal chances.
The top bracket of Rs 30 lakh is for elite wrestlers and Sushil and Sakshi haven't found a mention in it, owing to their below-par performances since the Rio Games. Geeta and Babita haven't been offered central contracts, officials involved with the development informed.
"Sushil and Sakshi have been accommodated in Grade B of Rs 20 lakh. Their performance chart has shown a rapid decline. Sushil is nowhere close to his former self, while Sakshi hasn't been able to replicate her Rio Olympics form," an official said.
"Only Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Pooja Dhanda have been offered Grade A contract. Similarly, upcoming wrestlers like Ritu Phogat and Ravi Kumar, among others, have been put in Grade B, while Grade C, D and E form the other group of wrestlers," added the official.
TOI understands that Sushil and Sakshi haven't been informed about their grades and WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh will talk to them separately on the sidelines of the senior Nationals in Gonda (UP) from November 29 to December 2.
Source : timesofindia[dot]indiatimes[dot]com
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