Wrestler Sushil Kumar, the only Indian to win two individual Olympic medals, said Friday that the sport's administrators did not take him seriously when he revealed he was offered money to lose the final bout in the 2010 World Championships in Moscow.
"I had told even in 2010 about this incident, but nobody responded. I'm not in FILA (wrestling's world governing body) or any other federation, so I can't say if the Russian's medal should be taken away," Sushil told NDTV of his 66 kg freestyle bout against Russian Alan Gogayev in the World Championships.
The Indian rejected the offer and won 3-1. He said he was offered around Rs.3 crore to lose the title clash.
"I was approached through a coach to throw the final bout. I was offered about Rs.3 crores. Wrestling is huge in Russia, and I suppose they didn't expect an Indian to enter the final," said Sushil.
The 30-year-old won the bronze medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics and followed up with a silver at the London Games last year.
Refusing money is not new for the champion athlete. Sushil declined a Rs.50 lakh offer for appearing in a surrogate advertisement for a liquor brand.
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
