Wrestlers' Protest: No more women's national camps in Lucknow, a stronghold of WFI chief Brij Bhushan

The women's national wrestling camp won't be held in Lucknow anymore with the NSNIS in Patiala to be the new venue in future, the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee decided on Wednesday. The decision was taken after multiple female wrestlers have shown concern over training in Lucknow.

Lucknow is considered a stronghold of the Wrestling Federation of India's president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been facing charges of sexual harassment on female wrestlers with elite wrestlers also staging a protest against him in New Delhi.

"The ad-hoc committee also decided that the national camps would be held at SAI Sonipat (men's Greco-Roman and freestyle) and SAI Patiala (women's wrestling) in future," a source told PTI.

Many women wrestlers are uncomfortable in joining the national camp at Lucknow SAI centre and many parents do not want the nodal sports body to hold a combined men's and women's camp in Sonepat.

"This combined national camp was discussed at the meeting. It was brought to the notice of the panel members that parents of women wrestlers were not in favour of their daughters training alongside the men's wrestlers in Sonepat," a source had told PTI.

"The parents fear that 'cases of love affairs' may rise if that happens. This was precisely the reason why the WFI had separated the two camps in 2013."

The women wrestlers are comfortable training at Delhi's IG stadium but it does not have a hostel to accommodate them. The SAI centre in Patiala does not have a wrestling hall as it was merged with the weightlifting hall.

"There is an option of holding the national camp for women in Gandhi Nagar (Gujarat) but it remains to be seen if the athletes agree to go that far," the source said. "It was also proposed that the men's wresters be sent to Lucknow and the women train in Sonepat but the coaches and referees did not agree to that."

The three-member ad-hoc panel to run the affairs of the sport was formed by IOA on April 27 following sports ministry's instructions after top wrestlers of the country including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik sat on a protest at Jantar Mantar.

They demanded the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of seven female wrestlers, including one minor. Besides Bhupender Singh Bajwa, other members of the committee are rifle coach Suma Shirur, and a retired high court judge who is yet to be appointed.

Age-group trials to be held from May 17-20

The selection trials for the U-17 and U-23 Asian Championships scheduled for June 10 to 18 in Bishkek, Krygyzstan will be held in Sonipat and Patiala on May 17 till 20 respectively, the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee handling the affairs of wrestling said on Wednesday.

"Selection trials for the upcoming U-17 and U-23 Wrestling Asian Championships scheduled from 10-18 June in Bishkek, Krygyzstan will be held in Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Sonipat and Patiala centres from May 17th till May 20th," ad-hoc panel chief Bhupender Singh Bajwa said in a statement.

While the selection trials for women's and men's Greco-Roman categories will be held in SAI, Patiala centre, selection for men's freestyle division would be organised in Sonipat.

"The selection trials will be open to all wrestlers in the respective age and weight categories. The schedule and other details will posted soon," Bajwa added.

With inputs from PTI