Women wrestler are still unsure whether they should attend the national camp or not. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has announced that it will resume the women’s camp on October 10. However, with COVID-19 cases on rise, and uncertainty over world championships, grapplers are reluctant to travel to Lucknow where the SAI camp will resume. “No one is sure when would be the right time to leave for Lucknow. Had it been that the world championship was confirmed, we would have a motive to attend it but right now it seems like a waste,” a senior wrestler on condition of anonymity told WrestlingTV.
Unlike men’s camp, women wrestlers will have a shorter seven-day mandatory quarantine period before resuming training. However, they would only be allowed to do training individually. Group training will be allowed only after 14 days but only with dummies.
The coach of an up and coming wrestler said his ward will join the camp but only because a place in the national team is at stake. “After speaking with the parents of the wrestler, we have decided to send her. But the fear of catching the virus is still in their minds. We can’t say no, we can’t afford to miss the camp because then the federation will not invite her for trials for national selection,” said a coach, who did not wish to be named.
“Especially, after the news of Vinesh and Deepak contracting the virus, they are not comfortable training outside. They are satisfied with training at their coaches’ akharas but what do you do,” he said, expressing helplessness.
Divya Kakran, who was also apprehensive about joining the camp, will attend the camp as scheduled, her father Suraj said.
SAI, meanwhile, has assured wrestlers that all is well at the camp. It has formed a WhatsApp group and have shared all the Standard of Procedures (SOP) with the grapplers. It has also advised the wrestlers to self-isolate themselves before leaving for Lucknow.
“They have asked us to get COVID tested 90-hours before joining the camp. Besides this, they have sent us a few forms which we need to fill and submit on the day of joining. They say that everything is safe there,” she said.
A total of 15 wrestlers in five Olympic weight categories have been called for the camp and attendance has been made mandatory by the WFI.