Sushil Kumar received three straight walkovers from the quarterfinal stage en route to gold at National C’ships.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore(Photo: Twitter)
Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Sunday kept mum when probed about two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar’s mysterious gold medal-winning comeback at the national championships in Indore last week.
A visibly rusty Sushil, returning to competition after a gap of almost three years, recorded two victories against tame opponents in the preliminary rounds of his 74 kg bouts before receiving three straight walkovers from the quarterfinal stage en route to gold on Friday.
Rathore, however maintained that the wrestler has every right to make a comeback and that the events did not come under his domain.
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“Everyone has the right to come back to the sport and specially Sushil has given so much to the sport. The way the events are conducted is not in my domain,” the Sports Minister told reporters on the sidelines of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon here.
“There is a federation for it that takes care of it. I am sure the federation is well aware and very fair and equal to all.”
The 34-year-old Sushil was out of action due to a shoulder injury and subsequently missed the Rio Olympics qualifiers after a trail with Narsingh Yadav went against him.
In his comeback to the mat, Sushil had qualified to represent his employers, Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) for the Nationals without a single bout after one of his opponents did not even turn up for the trials while the other gave him a walkover without fighting.
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