A non-profit sports foundation started by Indian sports legends Prakash Padukone and Geet Sethi is keeping its fingers crossed ahead of the September full session of the International Olympic Committee when wrestling's fate would be decided for the 2020 Games.
The ancient sport is grappling with two other disciplines - squash and baseball/softball - for survival with the 125th IOC session in Beunos Aires voting to include one of the three for the 2020 Games programme.
Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) has currently added 20-year- old freestyle grappler Parveen Rana into its fold to support him for the next Olympic Games in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but any decision to add more wrestlers would depend on whether wrestling retains its place for the 2020 Games, the foundation's Chief Executive officer, Viren Rasquinha, said.
"We have just taken in a senior athlete whom we are grooming for the 2016 Olympics. September is the (IOC) vote. If wrestling is confirmed for 2020, we would also be looking for young wrestlers. We are waiting for the vote as it does not make sense to support a younger athlete for 2020 when we don't even know if it's (wrestling) there. If it's there, yes (we will look out for more)," Rasquinha told PTI.
The former India hockey captain said the OGQ's mission was to spot the right talent, gauge his/her potential to be a champion at the Olympic level and extend support.
"Tomorrow if I see an athlete in table tennis, swimming, tennis, squash or golf and if we feel they have the calibre and potential, we will support them. It's about seeing the right talent to support.
"Obviously these are potential Olympic champions and there are certain benchmarks that need to be fulfilled in order for us to support and take them to that level," he said.
"We also have to justify (the spending) to our funders. I need to look them in the eye and tell them that if we support this athlete he/she genuinely has a chance (to win). Finally, whether they win it or not is a different question," the 32-year-old added.
