Six is not enough: Brij Bhushan wants more medals, says wrestlers deserve more
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said India should not be satisfied with its medal haul in wrestling at the 2026 Asian Games and set his sights on a bigger comeback at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
On Friday, October 9, at a ceremony congratulating wrestlers who won medals from India’s Asian Games in New Delhi, Singh said he expected the contingent to win at least eight medals at the continental event in Aichi-Nagoya.
“I am not happy with the performance in the Asian Games. We have six but I was expecting 8,” Singh said.
“Our wrestlers are two years old. We shouldn’t be happy with single-digit medal numbers.”
India sent 15 wrestlers to the Asian Games and returned with six medalsincluding two gold ones. Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal won gold while Antim Panghal and Nitesh Siwach won silver. Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar completed the tally with bronze medals.
“Our wrestlers are expected to get a medal in every event they participate in,” Singh added, urging the wrestling fraternity to raise their ambitions ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Aman Sehrawat was India’s only wrestling medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning bronze in the category of men under 57 kg freestyle after Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg final for being 100 grams overweight.
WRESTLERS SHOULD NOT GO EMPTY HANDED: BRIJ BHUSHAN
Brij Bhushan said wrestlers should not walk away empty-handed. Courtesy: Alan John
The event in Delhi also marked the launch of the sixth season of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL), which will be held from January 9 to 26, 2027 in New Delhi. Six wrestlers were awarded special blazers and kits.
The ceremony also brought the issue of financial rewards for the medalists into the spotlight. While the league emphasized its commitment to invest in local wrestling, Singh said the athletes who bring glory to the country and the coaches who lead them deserve more recognition from the federation.
“Wrestlers who have brought glory to the nation should not go empty-handed. Coaches should also be honoured,” he said.
Singh, who no longer heads the WFI, distanced himself from responsibility for implementing such rewards but made it clear where he believed the onus lay.
“I’m a ghost now. I can’t do anything. But WFI should do it,” he said.
His presence as the guest of honor at the event underscored his continued visibility in Indian wrestling despite stepping down from the federation amid allegations of sexual harassment by female wrestlers.
The return of PWL provides another platform for Indian wrestlers to compete alongside international talent. The upcoming season will feature 86 grapplers, including 34 international medalists, in five men’s and four women’s Olympic weight classes. Japan’s Olympic champion Yui Susaki is among the international stars expected to compete.
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