Satpal Singh, coach of Sushil Kumar, on Saturday said that the players who offered walkovers to the double Olympic medallist in the National Wrestling Championship were aware that they couldn't win against him.
Sushil on Friday was declared the ultimate winner in the 74kg category of the event as three of his challenger wrestlers, including the finalist, Praveen Rana, offered him walkovers.
After Sushil lifted the national gold, fighting for just two minutes and 55 seconds in five matches, the referee reportedly applauded the gesture of the wrestlers and said: 'Yeh hai Bharat ki kushti ki parampara' (This is the tradition of Indian wrestling).
However, coach Satpal denied the allegations that the players gave walkovers following the tradition.
"When a players steps on mat there is no 'parampara'. Everyone comes to play here. But everyone knows who is Sushil. He played the nationals to get confidence otherwise his target is Asia, Commonwealth and Olympics," he said.
He reflected that had the players fought against Sushil, it would have been a one-sided match.
"The players who walked over have been training with Sushil and they knew that they could not stand long in front of him," he added.
Satpal heaped praise on Sushil and said his level can't be matched by anyone right now.
"Right now Sushil Kumar is such a player who cannot be matched. He is unmatched till 120 kgs," Satpal said.
He also added that Sushil has an aim to bring Olympic medal for the country and the way he is practicing right now, he is hopeful of a medal in 2020 Olympics.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
