Mumbai:
Urging the media to portray the controversy-marred Commonwealth Games in a positive light, world champion Sushil Kumar on Thursday said India should make sure that the visitors carry a positive image of the country.
"I appeal to you to report positive things about the Commonwealth Games as it is a matter of the country's prestige. Very few countries get the opportunity to host the Commonwealth Games. We should ensure that the visitors carry a positive image of the Games when they leave from here," the Beijing Olympic Games bronze-medallist told reporters in Mumbai.
The freestyle wrestler predicted that India would grab over a dozen gold medals in wrestling during the October 3-14 event.
"There are 21 gold medals on offer in wrestling in the Commonwealth Games. We can well at least win 13-14 out of those," said Sushil, who became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Championships in the free style 66kg category event in Moscow recently.
"The Commonwealth Games is the biggest sporting event after the Olympics and everyone would like to do well. All the countries like Canada, Australia, England, Pakistan and South Africa would be prepared.
"We, too, are well prepared and are confident after some good performances in the World and Asian Championships. We will give a strong fight," he said.
Sushil brushed aside reports stating that many athletes across the world were planning to skip the Games due to security concerns.
"Most of the athletes, who have withdrawn from the Games have done so because of injuries. No sportsperson would want to miss events like Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games," Sushil said.
"I met a lot of wrestlers during the World Championship in Moscow. All of them were keen to come to Delhi and participate in the event. In wrestling, no one will withdraw and the tournament is going to be tough," he said.
Sushil said after his historic win in the World Championship, he was looking forward to doing well in the Commonwealth Games.
"The world championship belt has come to India for the first time. I became the first person to win gold. This has never happened before. Now I hope to do well in Commonwealth Games," the grappler said.
When asked about the doping controversy that hit India just before the Commonwealth Games, Sushil said that much of it was because of ignorance and the Wrestling Federation of India should educate players about it.
"Federations should educate players about doping so that such things do not happen again. Most of the players who failed the dope test were youngsters. Even a senior wrestler like Rajeev Tomar, who is so careful about what he takes got entangled. Even minor things like eye-drops can lead to such results," he said.
Four wrestlers -- Sumit (74kg), Mausam Khatri (96kg), Rajiv Tomar (120kg), who were named in the Games squad in men's freestyle, and Gursharanpreet Kaur (women's 72kg) tested positive for Methylhexaneamine, a non specified substance. And were subsequently replaced by Narsingh Pancham Yadav (74 Kg), Anil Mann (96 Kg), Praveen (120 Kg) and Anshu Tomar (72 Kg).
However, the provisional suspension of the athletes was lifted by NADA disciplinary committee following WADA's decision to shift the banned stimulant from 'non-specified' to 'specified' substance category.
When Sushil was ashed about who should now represent the country in the Games if the dope-tainted wrestlers were let-off with a warning, he said it was the job of the federation to select the players.
"Whosoever plays, will try his best to win medal for the country," he added.
Sushil was gung ho about the future infrastructure of sports in the country.
"We had no venues before the Beijing Olympics. Now we have AC stadiums and AC rooms. We have got the infrastructure and we would be able to use it for the rest of our lives," he said.
"Good things are happening now and very soon we will have infrastructure similar to that in United States and Russia," he added.
Meanwhile, Sushil forthrightly ruled out fixing in wrestling matches.
"I'm still carrying the injuries I suffered in my eye and shoulder during the World Championship. That does not happen where fixing is involved," he said.
Percept Talent on Thursday signed Sushil as an exclusive talent and will now be solely responsible for stategising and managing his brand endorsements, media activities, media rights, brand and image management, digital rights and licensing and merchandising rights.
Percept talent will also draw out strategies and activities to promote wrestling in India.
Sushil was also signed as the brand ambassador of the National Egg Coordination Committee on the occasion.
"I appeal to you to report positive things about the Commonwealth Games as it is a matter of the country's prestige. Very few countries get the opportunity to host the Commonwealth Games. We should ensure that the visitors carry a positive image of the Games when they leave from here," the Beijing Olympic Games bronze-medallist told reporters in Mumbai.
The freestyle wrestler predicted that India would grab over a dozen gold medals in wrestling during the October 3-14 event.
"There are 21 gold medals on offer in wrestling in the Commonwealth Games. We can well at least win 13-14 out of those," said Sushil, who became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the World Championships in the free style 66kg category event in Moscow recently.
"The Commonwealth Games is the biggest sporting event after the Olympics and everyone would like to do well. All the countries like Canada, Australia, England, Pakistan and South Africa would be prepared.
"We, too, are well prepared and are confident after some good performances in the World and Asian Championships. We will give a strong fight," he said.
Sushil brushed aside reports stating that many athletes across the world were planning to skip the Games due to security concerns.
"Most of the athletes, who have withdrawn from the Games have done so because of injuries. No sportsperson would want to miss events like Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games," Sushil said.
"I met a lot of wrestlers during the World Championship in Moscow. All of them were keen to come to Delhi and participate in the event. In wrestling, no one will withdraw and the tournament is going to be tough," he said.
Sushil said after his historic win in the World Championship, he was looking forward to doing well in the Commonwealth Games.
"The world championship belt has come to India for the first time. I became the first person to win gold. This has never happened before. Now I hope to do well in Commonwealth Games," the grappler said.
When asked about the doping controversy that hit India just before the Commonwealth Games, Sushil said that much of it was because of ignorance and the Wrestling Federation of India should educate players about it.
"Federations should educate players about doping so that such things do not happen again. Most of the players who failed the dope test were youngsters. Even a senior wrestler like Rajeev Tomar, who is so careful about what he takes got entangled. Even minor things like eye-drops can lead to such results," he said.
Four wrestlers -- Sumit (74kg), Mausam Khatri (96kg), Rajiv Tomar (120kg), who were named in the Games squad in men's freestyle, and Gursharanpreet Kaur (women's 72kg) tested positive for Methylhexaneamine, a non specified substance. And were subsequently replaced by Narsingh Pancham Yadav (74 Kg), Anil Mann (96 Kg), Praveen (120 Kg) and Anshu Tomar (72 Kg).
However, the provisional suspension of the athletes was lifted by NADA disciplinary committee following WADA's decision to shift the banned stimulant from 'non-specified' to 'specified' substance category.
When Sushil was ashed about who should now represent the country in the Games if the dope-tainted wrestlers were let-off with a warning, he said it was the job of the federation to select the players.
"Whosoever plays, will try his best to win medal for the country," he added.
Sushil was gung ho about the future infrastructure of sports in the country.
"We had no venues before the Beijing Olympics. Now we have AC stadiums and AC rooms. We have got the infrastructure and we would be able to use it for the rest of our lives," he said.
"Good things are happening now and very soon we will have infrastructure similar to that in United States and Russia," he added.
Meanwhile, Sushil forthrightly ruled out fixing in wrestling matches.
"I'm still carrying the injuries I suffered in my eye and shoulder during the World Championship. That does not happen where fixing is involved," he said.
Percept Talent on Thursday signed Sushil as an exclusive talent and will now be solely responsible for stategising and managing his brand endorsements, media activities, media rights, brand and image management, digital rights and licensing and merchandising rights.
Percept talent will also draw out strategies and activities to promote wrestling in India.
Sushil was also signed as the brand ambassador of the National Egg Coordination Committee on the occasion.
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