WFI Chief Confident in Wrestling's Growth, Credits Govt Support & PWL Revival

Singh said the budgetary support extended to wrestling has remained robust, with the sport continuing to enjoy the confidence of the country's top leadership. Referring to the Union Budget and government initiatives, he underlined that wrestling has long been viewed as a medal-assured discipline for India on the global stage.

"From Khelo India to our sport, the budget allocated for wrestling has always been more than sufficient for us. The Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Sports Minister have all said that wrestling is a sport in which India can guarantee medals. PM (Narendra Modi), Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) and Sports Minister (Mansukh Mandaviya) said that wrestling should be provided with the budget it requires, and people should not assume that the sport is declining due to a lack of funds," Singh told IANS.

The WFI chief also reflected on the return of the Pro Wrestling League, which had last been staged in 2019 before being halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Singh, the response to the league's comeback has surpassed expectations.

"The Pro Wrestling League began in 2015 and ran successfully until 2019, but had to be discontinued due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been revived again this year, and the response has exceeded our expectations. Viewership has been higher than anticipated, fan enthusiasm is even greater, and there is a strong desire to see the league grow further," he said.

Emphasising the league's role in talent development, Singh noted that PWL has emerged as a crucial platform for young wrestlers aiming to break into the international circuit.

"If you look at the youth coming through, many of them are our junior wrestlers. Several young athletes will emerge from this league, and among them, we will find future international medal winners," he added.

Singh also lauded the performance of women wrestlers in the tournament, praising their competitiveness against international opponents. "One thing our girls have clearly proven is that they are not inferior to the boys-if anything, they are outperforming them. The way our women wrestlers are competing strongly against foreign wrestlers is truly commendable," he said.

- IANS