Centre sitting on proposal to appoint foreign coach: WFI chief

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Wednesday stated that proposal for a foreign coach is pending with the government for past one year despite completing all the formalities in the matter.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Singh said: "With deep grief, I am telling you that our request for a foreign coach is pending with the government for last one year. We have completed all the formalities but no progress has been made in the matter, as for now."

Refusing to comment on the reason behind the delay, the president said that if started talking about the issue then it would "go very far". Singh further asserted that they would not let the delay impact their preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics adding that if the government did not approve their demand then the federation would itself appoint a foreign coach.

 

"We will not let the delay impact our preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. If our proposal is not finalised by January then federation will itself make an effort to get a foreign coach," he added.

While maintaining that government has provided its full support to the federation in other matters, Singh said that they have neglected this particular demand of the WFI.

The president said that on the one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about effective schemes like Khelo India and on the other hand, there is no clue about the proposal file containing crucial demands of a sport that has the potential of winning a medal for India in the Olympics.

"This is not a good thing that they are sitting on a file for a foreign coach. On one side the Prime Minister talks about Khelo India while on the other side the game in which we can win the Olympics medal there is no clue about the files. I have met the Minister two-three times personally but to no yield. The only option left with me is to organise a protest against the delay. I cannot do that because I am a Member of Parliament from the ruling party," Singh said.

"Everything is good. I am not blaming the government. They have fulfilled most of our demands but this is the point where they are lacking. The Minister himself had ordered to finalise the file in front of me. The file is, probably, moving between the bureaucrats," he added.

Singh, while speaking about India's preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, said that their first task would be to qualify for the Olympics adding that he is hopeful of a better performance by the wrestlers, this time.