Wrestling
Wrestler Reetika Hooda pleads with IOA to allow her coach to travel to Paris
Reetika is the only wrestler in India's five-member team whose coach, Mandeep, has not been approved to travel with her to the Paris Olympics.
Wrestler Reetika Hooda's Paris Olympics campaign ended in the quarterfinals on Agust 10.
Reetika Hooda, India's first woman wrestler to qualify for the Paris Olympics in the heavyweight 76kg category, has pleaded with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to include her coach Mandeep in the support staff list of the Indian contingent and arrange his visa for France.
Mandeep was excluded from the approved list of support staff.
Reetika is India's first-ever female U-23 world champion. Back in May, she had requested the IOA to allow her coach and physio to accompany her in the Paris Olympics.
She also pleaded with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in June to allow them to travel with her.
Other have their coaches
Reetika is the only wrestler in India's five-member team whose coach has not been approved to travel with her.
“I was surprised to see that everyone has been assigned the travel with personal coach. Antim (Panghal) has been sanctioned both her coaches and I have not been given even one,” Reetika told PTI.
“When I had applied, a few days after that I was told that no one is being allowed to travel with personal coach but now I see that everyone has been allowed except me.”
Vinesh Phogat will be accompanied by her Belgian coach Woller Akos, while Antim's campaign will be overseen by coaches Bhagat Singh and Vikas, who will be travelling as her sparring partner.
Anshi Malik, meanwhile, will be accompanied by her father Dharamvir as her coach, and Nisha Dahiya will travel with Amir.
Aman Sehrawat, the lone male wrestler, will be supported by Ali Shabanov in Paris, where the wrestling competition will begin on August 5.
