JOIN USSushil Kumar will have to skip his training in Belarus for five days and will now head straight to London for the Olympics opening ceremony on July 27 where he is the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent.
The wrestlers were supposed to leave for Minsk on July 19th but their departure was delayed as orginally they had the invitation for training from July 23. Now, they will leave on Sunday, but Sushil will stay back and train in India as he did not get a double entry visa for Belarus.
Chief coach Vinod Kumar said Sushil would stay back and would leave on July 26 to London. Sushil’s sparring partners, too, have been held back, along with the team physio Arvinder Pal Singh.
“Since the trip to Belarus was already delayed, we decided to stay back and train here. We will leave on the morning of July 26 and after attending the ceremony we will leave for Belarus on July 28. Sushil will still get a week’s time to train with other wrestlers at Belarus. It will not hamper his training,” Vinod told Deccan Herald.
Arvinder too has been confirmed to go to London with the team. The wrestlers wanted Arvinder with them as he has been working with them for a while now, also sharing a good rapport.
But the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had declined the request. In the final list of Indian contingent given to the media only three physiotherapists were sanctioned by the IOA with boxing and hockey being the only two contingent to have their own physios.
“We are trying that he gets the access to both the Games Village and the competition arena. But at the moment he is coming with us to London from Belarus. His presence will help the wrestlers as he has been working with us for a long time. Even a two-minute bout can take a toll on your body,” Kumar said.