His is a story that are stuffs of a legend . In India’s Olympic history wrestler 37 – year-old Sushil Kumar was the pride of the nation with his two individuals medals – a rare feat . In the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games he bagged the Bronze medal . It was incidentally the second medal won by an Indian in wrestling the last was – Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav’s bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics . The fairy tale Journey continued in London four years later in 2012 Olympics where he improved his Beijing show , getting a Silver medal.
Top prove that Olympic heroics were no fluke he proved his mettle at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Kumar defeated Qamar Abbas in the 74 kg final to win the gold medal . He won in 107 seconds by fall. And in the 2018 CWG in Australia, Gold Coast, Kumar won gold in 74 kg category beating South Africa’s Johannes Botha in the final that lasted 80 seconds thus achieving a feat of winning 3 gold medals in 3 consecutive Commonwealth Games.
Seeing these phenomenal feats he had achieved and making him a face of wrestling and an icon one wonders what had gone horribly wrong when he was arrested by Delhi Police after 20 days on the run in an alleged murder case?. Kumar according to media reports was evading a non-Bailable Warrant for his alleged involvement in the death of a 23-year-old wrestler Sagar Dhankar during a brawl at the Chhatrasal Stadium.
The sight of Sushil Kumar his face covered by towel and led away police officials after his arrest has left the Indian sporting fraternity in a state of shock and disbelief . And image of Indian wrestling and wrestlers in tatters. What could be more shameful was the arrest took place on day which was the world wrestling day.
Sent to six day police custody, Sushl Kumar career from the top has now crashed to one of disgrace. It has brought out out the other dark side of wrestlers. Now police investigations will continue and more revelations of this case will come out in the due course of time .
All these details will bring out the dirty picture of wrestling as well as the feet of clay of the wrestlers who like Sushil it seems have not been able to handle the pressure of fame and money laid out on the table.
Sushil’s arrest has tarnished not only his image but also puts to shame the wrestling scenario in India. Indian sports image too takes a heavy beating with this episode. Indian wrestling is truly on the mat now.
