WFI set to move National camps to curb ‘indiscipline’

WFI relocates National wrestling camps to Pune and Gandhinagar to promote discipline and expand the sport's reach.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is set to move the National camp for men and women to Pune and Gandhinagar respectively, saying it was time to take the sport to other regions and curb incidents of "indiscipline".

The National camps have been on hold since January 2023 when the country's top wrestlers led a protest against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who they accused of sexual harassment of women players.

The SAI centre in Bahalgarh, Sonepat has been a training centre and trials venue for the men's wrestlers for long while the SAI centre in Lucknow has served as a venue for women's camp and trials.

The wrestlers who finished in top-4 in each of the 30 categories during the trials for the Asian Championships, starting March 25 in Amman, Jordan, will be part of the camp.

"We will resume the National camp after the conclusion of the Asian Championship. For long, the activities have been shut. There was a discussion between WFI and government officials on possible venues and we felt moving the camp to Pune would serve the game better," WFI President Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, he said, "There have been incidents of indiscipline at the Sonepat centre since it had proximity with many wrestlers' houses and personal training centres."

"It was brought to our notice that a few wrestlers flouted rules by not staying at the camp but since all activities were shut, we could not do anything. The Army Institute in Pune is known for maintaining discipline.