Women's wrestling national camp set to be held in Patiala instead of Lucknow

The women's national wrestling camp will be held at Sports Authority of India's Patiala center in the future following reservations from multiple female grapplers who are "uncomfortable" training at WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's stronghold.

"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 the future." The PTI had on Tuesday reported that the senior women's camp was in all likelihood to be shifted from Lucknow.

Many women wrestlers are uncomfortable joining the national camp at Lucknow SAI center 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 favor 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 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 wrestlers 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 here, demanding 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 are 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, Kyrgyzstan will be held in Sonipat, and Patiala on May 17 to 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, Kyrgyzstan will be held in Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Sonipat and Patiala centers 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 center, selection for men's freestyle division would be organized in Sonipat.

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