WFI to finalise foreign coach this month

With Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games featuring in the calendar year, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is finally getting its act together in roping a foreign coach.

Following India's no show at the World Championships in Paris last year, Sushil Kumar, who had travelled with the team as a national observer had recommended immediate appointment of a foreign coach. His demand has been echoed by many top Indian wrestlers with the Tokyo Olympics now just two years away.

The WFI has assured that it should be able to finalise a foreign coach by the end of this month. "We had written to the Coaches Commission of United World Wrestling for a coach, and had even decided on a Russian coach," WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar told DH

"He, however, pulled out at the last moment citing family problems. We again wrote to the commission two weeks ago. We had tried to get Belarusian coaches, but we haven't got much response from them. Japan coaches are also good, but with Tokyo Olympics coming up, it will be hard to get them. We are confident we will be able to select one coach by the end of the this month."