Parveen Rana, unlikely winner in India's 74 kg wrestling fiasco

NEW DELHI: It was like any other day for Parveen Rana. He had gone to Sonepat to attend the India camp from his Delhi home, a daily routine for the 74-kg wrestler. He had perhaps resigned to the fact that he had to remain in the shadow of Narsingh Yadav and Sushil Kumar and participate in those tournaments where the two seasoned grapplers did not.
But a call in the evening changed everything and perhaps his future too.“I had reached home from training yesterday evening when I got a call from the wrestling federation to pack my bag and head to Georgia where the wrestlers are attending a training camp. I immediately boarded a flight to the United States,” Parveen told TOI on Wednesday. “I always worked hard all my life to improve as a wrestler and represent India in big events. But I never hoped that my dream will be fulfilled this way.“
The Wrestling Federation of India's logic for selecting Rana was to hold on to the quota spot that Narsingh had secured for India. “The United World Wrestling had set us a July 25 deadline to honour the quota, failing which we would have lost the slot,” a WFI official told TOI, adding that they were hopeful that Narsingh would get a clean cheat following the investigations and Rana would then relinquish the spot for the top-ranked fighter.
Rana had attended the World Cup in the United States last month and has a valid visa for 10 years. The 24-year-old, who honed his skills at Chhatrasal Stadium, however, said he was feeling bad for Narsingh, whose hopes of appearing in the Olympics looks bleak now. “It's a huge moment for me, but it come in such a situation that I can't celebrate. I feel bad for Narsingh. He had put in so much hard work. I think I must try to win a medal so that the country can celebrate.”
Rana had made steady progress since winning a bronze medal in the 2008 junior World Championship and gold in Asian Cadet Championship the same year, but rarely got a chance to represent India in events like world championship and Olympics. But he attended the training camps regularly. Rana says his hard work in training will serve him well in the Olympics. “I am part of the national camp. So I train regularly. We have a world Championship in December, for that I had to prepare too. So I think I am prepared well enough for the Olympics.”
Rana was in contention for a place in the last year's Las Vegas World Championships, a qualifying tournament for the Rio Games, but he finished second best to Narsingh, who went on to secure the lone Olympic berth available to India in the 74kg category.