Bajrang Punia feels wrestling should be made National Sport

Bajrang Punia feels wrestling should be made National Sport

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Bajrang Punia has called for wrestling to be made the national sport at a felicitation programme organised by the sports ministry. While acknowledging wrestling as a key sport for India, sports minister Kiren Rijiju, however, has said that he can not discriminate or favour any particular sport.

Three-time World Championship medallist Bajrang Punia on Tuesday called for wrestling to be made the national sport, urging that Indian grapplers have performed consistently for the country, winning medals in the big-ticket events.

During a felicitation function of medal-winning wrestlers at the recently concluded World Championships by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi on Monday, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan suggested the idea of declaring wrestling as the national sport.

“I too feel wrestling should be made the national sport as it is one sport which has consistently won medals in the World Championships and Olympics,” said Bajrang to the PTI during the programme organised by the Sports Ministry.

Bajrang clinched a bronze medal in this year’s edition of the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan adding to his silver (2018 Budapest) and bronze (2013 Budapest). Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, said that he needs to give equal importance to every sport.

“As a Sports Minister, I have to give equal importance to all sports. I can’t sound discriminatory. Wrestling is very important for India, it makes our country’s flag fly high but we have to give importance to all Olympic sports as well as non-Olympic and traditional sports,” he said.

He added that he should not be making an announcement “on the basis of any demand” as the national sport is an “emotional and critical” matter.

The Sports Minister is happy with the management of the wrestling team and also hoped that it will produce a maximum number of medals at next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

“The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is going to be a watershed moment and along with other disciplines our wrestling team will be one of the major force in Tokyo. I am happy with the management of wrestling, the efforts of the coaches and entire technical support staff,” Rijiju said.

WFI President Sharan, who was also present at the program, promised that wrestlers will produce a much better performance and beat their medal tally in Rio by double. “India had won two medals at Rio and one of them was in wrestling. I promise that our wrestlers will double that medal at Tokyo.”

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