Rio Olympics 74kg berth: HC to resume hearing on Sushil Kumar-Narsingh Yadav issue today

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court will once again resume the hearing of Sushil Kumar-Narsingh Yadav issue, where the two-time Olympic medalliast has asked for trials to select the right candidate for the 74kg berth for upcoming Rio Olympics.

In Wednesday's hearing, Delhi High Court observed that grappler Narsingh was not a “push over” to represent India in Rio 2016 and questioned compatriot Sushil for finding fault in the policy which had enabled him in the past to make it to the Olympics thrice.

“This is the policy (of WFI) which have been in place since long and now you (Sushil) are saying that this policy is wrong,” Justice Manmohan asked Sushil’s counsel.

“In 2004, 2008 and 2012, you (Sushil) had gone for three Olympics by following the same policy. Their (WFI) procedure has been consistent,” the court said.

Senior advocate Amit Sibal, who appeared for Sushil, told the court that Sports Code has to be followed by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and it prescribes selection trial for international event like the Olympics.

The court also questioned Sushil whether he had won anything since August 2014 (after winning gold in Glasgow CWG).

Sushil had earlier appealed to the Sports Ministry, IOA, WFI and fans to give him a chance to undergo a trial for the Rio Games, as according to the rules, quota belongs to the country and not to a particular wrestler.

Narsingh has been staking his claim to represent India at the Olympics since last year, when he secured a quota place at the World Championship in Las Vegas after winning a bronze in 74kg. Sushil, who missed the event due to a shoulder injury, has been demanding a trial.