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Deepak Punia says the wrestlers’ protest and lack of international exposure disrupted Indian wrestling, as he continues fighting to revive his career.
(Credit: AFP)
Asian Games silver medallist Deepak Punia believes the prolonged chaos surrounding Indian wrestling over the last two years significantly disrupted the careers of several athletes, including his own.
The 26-year-old wrestler, once regarded as India’s most dependable name in the 86kg category, admitted that the fallout from the high-profile wrestlers’ protest and the resulting lack of international exposure stalled his development at a crucial stage of his career.
“After 2023, many tournaments stopped because of the protest and all that happened. We did not get chances to compete abroad like we used to earlier,” Deepak said after winning the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda on Monday.
“When you are competing internationally every second or third month, your shortcomings come out and you improve. But if you get only one World Championships or one Asian Championships in a year, there is a huge difference in performance.”
Wrestling Turmoil Took Its Toll
Indian wrestling has been in turmoil ever since stars like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik launched protests against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in 2023 over allegations of sexual harassment.
The fallout saw the WFI suspended temporarily, while an ad-hoc panel handled operations for months, leading to disrupted tournaments, delayed camps and fewer international opportunities for wrestlers.
Deepak, who was also seen at the protest site during that period, chose not to revisit the controversy in detail.
“I would not like to dwell on those things now. Let it be,” he said.
Tokyo Heartbreak Still Lingers
Ever since narrowly missing an Olympic bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Deepak has struggled to rediscover his best form.
His only major podium finish since then remains the silver medal he won at the 2023 Asian Games.
The Haryana wrestler also blamed poor preparation and a lack of quality sparring partners for his disappointing 11th-place finish at the 2025 World Championships.
“I accept that I made mistakes in training. I did not get a sparring partner of that level before the World Championships. Sparring partners play a huge role,” he admitted.
“I could not go abroad much and there was no proper camp setup there. Otherwise, I definitely believe I could have won a medal.”
Despite winning the National Open Ranking Tournament in the 92kg division, Deepak currently remains ineligible for the May 31 Asian Games selection trials under existing WFI rules.
(with PTI inputs)
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