Ace Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar's Rio hopes shattered

New Delhi: Ace Indian wrestler Sushil Kumar's hopes of securing ticket to the forthcoming Rio Olympics suffered a severe blow after the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed his plea seeking a selection trial with compatriot Narsingh Yadav in the 74 kg men's freestyle category.

While pronouncing the verdict, Justice Manmohan observed that the court will not interfere in the jurisdiction of the Wrestling Federation of India unless arbitrary or unreasonable behaviour is shown, insisting that the autonomy of the body is an integral part of the selection process.

Earlier, the two-time Olympics gold-medallist had approached the court after the WFI picked Narsingh over Sushil in the list of probables sent to the Indian Olympic Association for the Rio.

While Narsingh had insisted that going to the Brazilian capital is his right as he secured the quota in the 74-kg category with a bronze medal finish in last year's World Championships, Sushil, who won gold in the same category at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and had been missing in action since then, called for trials to be conducted to determine who should go to Rio.

The court, however, ruled that the WFI conducted a transparent process of selection while pointing out the decision of the sport's governing body cannot be held perverse.

The 32-year-old can still challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court, however, the ruling is seen as the end of the road for Sushil, who clinched bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver winner at London Games four year later.