WFI blames IOA for excluding wrestling from Melbourne Games

Chandigarh, Apr 3 (UNI) Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) secretary general B S Landge today squarely blamed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for exclusion of wrestling from the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 26th Cadet National Wrestling Championship at Chaudhary Bharat Singh Memorial Sports School in Nidani (Jind) yesterday, Mr Landge said ''due to some persons in the IOA, wrestling competitions were not included in Melbourne. Consequently, India were deprived of at least one dozen medals.'' Without naming the IOA officials, Landge said ''Wrestling has been also knowingly deleted from the Youth Commonwealth Games which will be organised in Pune in 2008.'' The WFI secretary general urged Haryana Olympic Association president Abhey Singh Chautala to take up the matter with the IOA for inclusion of wrestling in Youth Commonwealth Games-2008 and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

Inaugurating the championship, Chautala assured the wrestlers and the WFI that he would try to convince the apex sports body of the country to include wrestling in the Youth Commonwealth Games and 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Chautala, who is also president of the Amateur Indian Boxing Association, announced that if needed, he will approach the Government of India for inclusion of wrestling in these international competitions.

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