New Delhi: Axed from the national camp for ‘serious indiscipline’, the celebrated Phogat sisters will have to explain their absence for any chance of a comeback, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said Thursday after one of them, Babita, claimed to be injured.
Geeta and Babita, both CWG Games medallists along with their younger siblings Ritu and Sangeeta were ousted from the ongoing national camp in Lucknow. The WFI cited their unexplained absence from the camp as reason for their ouster.
“The wrestlers selected for the national camp are expected to physically report to the camp within three days. If they have any problems or issues they should go there and report it to the coaches and find a solution,” WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told this agency.
“But Geeta, Babita and others (in all 13) did not do that. They were incommunicado. This is serious indiscipline on their part and the WFI felt it’s time to pull the plug. So we have told them to sit at home and enjoy,” added Singh.
The federation’s action against the wrestlers means that they could be barred from the Asian Games trials scheduled later this month. Singh, however, hinted that the wrestlers could be given a lifeline if they can come up with a satisfactory explanation for their actions.
“Let them first come to us and explain the reasons behind their actions. For now they are out of the national camp,” asserted Singh.
The men’s and women’s national are being simultaneously conducted in Sonepat and Lucknow, May 10 to 25.
Another big name to have been barred from the national camp is Satyawart Kadian, husband of Rio Olympics bronze medallist, wrestler Sakshi Malik.
I have injuries to both my knees, I am recovering from them. It is a mistake that I haven’t informed the WFI, but will do it today
Babita Phogat
