THE OLYMPIC WRESTLER

BY

MANISH NAMDEV

WREST-653-2K21

Submitted to

THE DEPARTMENT OF WRESTLING

SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA

NETAJI SUBHAS NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SPORTS

PATIALA
2021-2022

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this project report entitled THE CHRONOLOGY OF INDIAN
WRESTLERS AT OLYMPICS submitted to NETAJI SUBHAS NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF SPORTS PATIALA is a Bonafede record of work done by MANISH NAMDEV under
my supervision.

Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Supervisor 3

Dr. Om Prakash Sh. Abhay Narayan

Sh. R.C. Pawar
Introduction

Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and
takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical
competition, between two (occasionally more) competitors or sparring partners, who attempt
to gain and maintain a superior position.

There are a wide range of styles with varying rules with both traditionalhistoric and
modern styles.and sporting events, particularly of the Olympic Games. It became so popular
that just as now-a-days we might invite a friend for a round of golf or a game of bowls,
Greeks asked each other to go for wrestling together (Goel R.G et all, 2010).5 Athletes
wrestled naked, with their bodies coated with olive oil and covered witha layer of very thin
sand to protect the skin from sunlight or from cold during winter. After wrestling, they
scraped this layer off with an instrument called strigil and washed themselves with clear
water. Fights were similar to those of freestyle wrestling, as shown by drawings and
inscriptions from that time.

The competitor who first threw his opponent or first brought himdown - either on hisback,
hips, chest, knees or elbows - was proclaimed winner.6 In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied
a prominent place in legend and literature; wrestling competition, brutal in many aspects, was
the number one sport of the Olympic Games.7 During the ancient Olympic Games, from 708
B.C., wrestling was the decisive discipline of the Pentathlon. In fact, it was the last discipline
to be held – after the discus, the javelin, the long jump and the foot race – and it designated
the winner of the Pentathlon, the only crowned athleteof the Games. The most famous of all
wrestlers was Milon of Croton (student of the philosopher Pythagoras), six times Olympic
champion (from 540 to 516 B.C.), ten times winner of the Isthmic Games, nine times winner
of the Nemean Games, and five times winner of the Pythic Games. Legend has it that when
he tried to splinter a tree with his own hands, his fingers got stuck in the split tree- trunk and
he wasdevoured by a lion.

Olympic

The Olympic is the only event on the earth in which people, irrespective of their

religion, caste, race, languages and political differences, come together to share
the enjoyment of sporting atmosphere. The five circles in the Olympics’ Symbol

represent the five continents. It is always said that India is one of the best

organizers of many international events.

Olympic Games

The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques)[a][1] are the leading
international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which
thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competitions. The
Olympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200
teams, representing sovereign states and territories, participating.[2] The Olympic Games are
normally held every four years, and since 1994, have alternated between the Summer and
Winter Olympics every two years during the four-year period.

Their creation was inspired by the ancient Olympic Games (Ancient Greek), held in
Olympia, Greece from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin
founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern
Games in Athens in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement (which
encompasses all entities and individuals involved in the Olympic Games) with the Olympic
Charter defining its structure and authority.

The evolution of the Olympic Movement during the 20th and 21st centuries has resulted in
several changes to the Olympic Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the
Winter Olympic Games for snow and ice sports, the Paralympic Games for athletes with
disabilities, the Youth Olympic Games for athletes aged 14 to 18, the five Continental games
(Pan American, African, Asian, European, and Pacific), and the World Games for sports that
are not contested in the Olympic Games. The IOC also endorses the Deaflympics and the
Special Olympics. The IOC has needed to adapt to a variety of economic, political, and
technological advancements. The abuse of amateur rules by the Eastern Bloc nations
prompted the IOC to shift away from pure amateurism, as envisioned by Coubertin, to the
acceptance of professional athletes participating at the Games. The growing importance of
mass media has created the issue of corporate sponsorship and general commercialisation of
the Games. World wars led to the cancellation of the 1916, 1940, and 1944 Olympics; large-
scale boycotts during the Cold War limited participation in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics;and
the 2020 Olympics were postponed until 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives and Importance of Olympic Games

1. The main objective of organizing these games is that the practice of sport would help the
youth in physical and moral development.

2. Another object was to enlarge the vision about sporting activity so as to create a platform
with wide horizons for everyone with no discrimination on thebasis of birth, caste, wealth,
situation, and occasion.

3. To make use of these games as a platform to popularize the educational role of sports in
the moral as well as the physical development of the athlete. BarronPierre de Coubertin, the
founder of Modern Olympic Games, believed that it was essential to internationalize sports in
order to popularize it in such a way that young people everywhere could benefit from it. To
achieve this it was necessary to have a noble, beautiful and a grand spectacle which would
take the event beyond the competition.

4. The Athleticism can be the occasion of the most passions. It can develop the sense of
impartiality, the feeling of honor as well as the love of winning.

SUSHIL KUMAR
Sushil Kumar Solanki (born 26 May 1983)[1] is a former Indian wrestler.[8] He carried the
Indian flag at the opening ceremony of 2012 London Olympics. His 2008 Olympic medal
was second for India in wrestling, and the first since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav's bronze
medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.[9][10] In July 2009, he received the Major Dhyan Chand
Khel Ratna – India's highest honour for sportspersons.[11] On 3 October 2010, Kumar handed
the Queen's Baton to Prince Charles in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth
Games Opening Ceremony.[12][13] Sushil won the gold medal in the 74 kg division at the 2014
Commonwealth Games.

Sushil Kumar Solanki

Kumar in 2014

Personal information

Nationality Indian

Born 26 May 1983 (age 39)[1]

Delhi, India

Height 166 cm (5 ft 5 in)[2]

Sport
Country India

Sport Wrestling

Event(s) Freestyle

Club NIS, Delhi

Coached by Satpal Singh

hide

Medal record

Representing   India

Event 1st 2nd 3rd

Olympic Games - 1 1

World Championships 1 - -

Asian Games - - 1

Commonwealth Games 3 - -

Asian Championships 1 1 2

Total 5 2 4
Olympic Games

2008 Beijing 66 kg

2012 London 66 kg

World Championships

2010 Moscow 66 kg

Commonwealth Games

2010 Delhi 66 kg

2014 Glasgow 74 kg

2018 Gold Coast 74 kg

Asian Games

2006 Doha 66 Kg

Asian Championships

2003 New Delhi 60 kg

2007 Bishkek 66 kg
 2008 Jeju Island 66 kg

2010 New Delhi 66 kg

Commonwealth Championship

2003 London[3] 60 kg

2005 Cape Town[4] 66 kg

2007 London[5] 66 kg

2009 Jalandhar[6] 66 kg

2017 Johannesburg[7] 74 kg

Updated on 26 February 2018.

Sushil Kumar Solanki (born 26 May 1983)[1] is a former Indian wrestler.[8] He carried the

Indian flag at the opening ceremony of 2012 London Olympics. His 2008 Olympic medal
was second for India in wrestling, and the first since Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav's bronze
medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.[9][10] In July 2009, he received the Major Dhyan Chand
Khel Ratna – India's highest honour for sportspersons.[11] On 3 October 2010, Kumar handed
the Queen's Baton to Prince Charles in the Queen's Baton Relay for the 2010 Commonwealth
Games Opening Ceremony.[12][13] Sushil won the gold medal in the 74 kg division at the 2014
Commonwealth Games.[14][8][9]

Contents

 1Career
 o 1.12008 Beijing Olympics
o 1.22010 World Wrestling Championships, Moscow
o 1.32010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi
o 1.42012 London Olympics
o 1.52014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
o 1.62018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia

 2International competition

o 2.1Summer Olympics
o 2.2World Championship

 3Personal life
 4Commercial endorsements and media
 5Awards, rewards and recognition
 6Ongoing case
 7See also
 8References
 9External links

Career[edit]
Personal life

Kumar was born in a Jat family of Solanki clan in Baprola village,[28]

 near Najafgarh in South West Delhi. His father, Diwan Singh,[30] was a driver in MTNL
[29]

Delhi, while his mother, Kamla Devi, is a housewife.

Kumar was inspired to take up wrestling by his father, himself a wrestler, and his cousin
Sandeep. Sandeep later stopped competing as the family could only support one wrestler.
Kumar trained in pehlwani wrestling at the akhada (wrestling school) in the Chhatrasal
Stadium from the age of 14. With minimal funds and poor training facilities for wrestling in
India, even for the 2008 Olympic team, his family made sure he obtained the necessary
dietary supplements by sending him tinned milk, ghee and fresh vegetables.[31][32] He is a
devoted Hindu and strict vegetarian.[33][34]

He has completed his Graduation (B.P.E.) and Post-Graduation (M.P.E.) from Noida College
of Physical Education, Dadri. Kumar is presently employed with the Indian Railways as an
assistant commercial manager.[10]

Commercial endorsements and media[edit]

"I didn’t want to be associated with a liquor brand in any form as it would send a wrong
signal to the youth. The sporting tradition that I have been raised in values discipline way
above money."

– Sushil Kumar explaining reason for refusing a liquor ad.[35]

Kumar endorses brands such as Mountain Dew, Eicher tractors, and the National Egg
Coordination Committee which earns him ₹10 million (US$130,000) annually. He refused
the offer of ₹5 million (US$63,000) to appear in a surrogate ad for a leading liquor brand.[35]

He appeared in the Indian documentary film Carve Your Destiny by Anubhav Srivastava.

 Kumar also served as a judge on MTV India's reality television series MTV Roadies.
[36]

 Other media appearances include in The Kapil Sharma Show and Comedy Nights with
[37]

Kapil.[38]

Awards, rewards and recognition[edit]

 Arjuna Award, 2005

  Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award (joint), India's highest sporting honour.

 Padma Shri, 2011[39]

For the bronze medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics

 ₹5.5 million (US$69,000) cash award and promotion to Assistant Commercial

Manager from chief ticketing inspector by Railway Ministry (his employer)[40]

 ₹5 million (US$63,000) cash award from the Delhi Government.[40]

 ₹2.5 million (US$31,000) award by the Haryana Government.[40]

 ₹2.5 million (US$31,000) cash award by the Steel Ministry of India.[40]

 ₹500,000 (US$6,300) cash award by R K Global

 DSP Rank in Haryana police department.

 K Global.[40]

 ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award by the Maharashtra State Government.

 ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award from MTNL.

For the gold medal at 2010 World Wrestling Championships

 ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award from Indian Railways (his employer) & out-
of-turn promotion from his current position of Asst. Commercial Manager.
  ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award from Sports Authority of India, (Government
of India).

 ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award from the Delhi Government

For the silver medal at 2012 London Olympics

 ₹20 million (US$250,000) cash reward from the Delhi Government

 ₹15 million (US$190,000) cash reward from the Haryana Government

 ₹7.5 million (US$94,000) cash reward from the Indian Railway

 Land area in Sonipat for Wrestling academy by the Haryana Government.

 ₹1 million (US$13,000) cash award from ONGC.[41]

Career[edit]

Kumar at 2008 Summer Olympics

Kumar started training in pehlwani at the Chhatrasal Stadium's akhada at the age of 14. He
was trained at the akhada by Yashvir and Ramphal, later by Arjuna awardee Satpal and then
at the Indian Railways camp by Gyan Singh and Rajkumar Baisla Gurjar.[10][15]

After switching to freestyle wrestling Kumar's first success came at the World Cadet Games
in 1998 where he won the gold medal in his weight category, followed by a gold at the Asian
Junior Wrestling Championship in 2000. Moving out of the junior competitions, in 2003
Kumar won the bronze medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships and a gold at the
Commonwealth Wrestling Championships. Kumar placed fourth at the 2003 World
Championships, but this went largely unnoticed by the Indian media as he fared badly in
the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, placing 14th in the 60 kg weight class. He won gold
medals at the Commonwealth wrestling championships in 2005 and 2007. He placed seventh
in the 2007 World Championships and won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing. He won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, becoming the first person to
win two Olympic medals for independent India. [16] Kumar was awarded the Arjuna Award in
2006 and a coveted Padma Shree by the Indian Government in 2011.[17]
2008 Beijing Olympics[edit]

Kumar lost to Andriy Stadnik in the first round of the 66 kg freestyle wrestling event,
 leaving his medal hopes hinging on the repechage. He defeated Doug Schwab in the first
[18]

repechage round and Albert Batyrov in the second round. In the bronze medal match on 20
August 2008, Kumar beat Leonid Spiridonov 3:1.[19] Kumar disclosed that he had no masseur
during the three bouts he won within a span of 70 minutes to take the bronze. The team
manager Kartar Singh who is a former Asian Games medallist acted as the masseur for him.
[20]

2010 World Wrestling Championships, Moscow[edit]

At the 2010 World Wrestling Championships Kumar became the first Indian to win a world
title in wrestling. He beat the local favourite Alan Gogaev of Russia 3–1 in the finals in the
66 kg category.
2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi[edit]

Kumar won gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi on 10 October

2010. He beat Heinrich Barnes 7–0 in the finals in the 66 kg freestyle wrestling category. The
bout was stopped by the referee in the second round. Earlier, in the semifinals, Kumar
defeated Famara Jarjou 3–0 within 9 seconds. In the quarterfinals, Kumar
defeated Muhammad Salman 10–0 in 46 seconds.[21]

2012 London Olympics[edit]

Kumar (left) at the 2012 Olympics

Kumar won a silver medal after losing the final to Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu.[22] Earlier, he had
entered the final amid some controversy by beating Kazakhastan's Akzhurek Tanatarov in the
semifinal. The Kazakh athlete claimed that Kumar had bitten his ear, which was denied by
the latter.[23] Kumar was the Olympic flag bearer for India at the opening ceremony.[24] This
win made him the first Indian to win 2 individual Olympic Medals since India's
Independence.[25][26]

2014 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow[edit]

Kumar defeated Qamar Abbas in the 74 kg final to win the gold medal at the 2014
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. He won in 107 seconds by fall.
2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia[edit]

Kumar won gold in 74 kg category on 12 April 2018, Thursday, beating South Africa’s
Johannes Botha[27] in the final that lasted 80 seconds thus achieving a feat of winning 3 gold
medals in 3 consecutive Commonwealth Games.

International competition[edit]

Summer Olympics[edit]

Repechag
Ye Compet Ven Eve Ra Sco Sco
opponent e
ar ition ue nt nk re re
opponent

 Tatsuhir
2012
Londo o
2012 Olympic 66 kg Loss
n Yonemitsu (
Games
JPN)

2008  Andriy  Leonid

Beijin
2008 Olympic 66 kg Stadnik (U Loss Spiridonov ( Win
g
Games KR) KAZ)

2004  Yandro
Athen
2004 Olympic 60 kg 14th Quintana (C Loss
s
Games UB)
World Championship[edit]

Ye Compet Venu Eve Ra Sco Repecha Sco

opponent
ar ition e nt nk re se re

2019
 Khadzhi
World
Nur- murad
2019 Wrestling 74 kg 20th Loss
sultan Gadzhiyev (
Champion
AZE)
ships

2011
World  Andriy
2011 Wrestling Istanbul 66 kg 14th Stadnik (UK Loss
Champion R)
ships

2010
World  Alan
Mosco
2010 Wrestling 66 kg Gogaev (RU Win
w
Champion S)
ships

2009
 Tatsuhi
World  Rasul
ro
2009 Wrestling Herning 66 kg 5th Dzhukayev ( Loss Loss
Yonemitsu 
Champion RUS)
(JPN)
ships

2007
2007 Baku 66 kg 7th  Andriy Loss
World
Stadnik (UK
Wrestling
Ye Compet Venu Eve Ra Sco Repecha Sco
opponent
ar ition e nt nk re se re

Champion
R)
ships

2006
World  Elman
Guangz
2006 Wrestling 66 kg 13th Asgarov (AZ Loss
hou
Champion E)
ships

2003
World New  Arif
2003 Wrestling York 60 kg 4th Abdullayev ( Loss
Champion City AZE)
ships
Bibliography

 Brukner & Khan, “Clinical Sports Medicine”, 2012, McGraw Hill

 Knight, Kenneth L. “Cryotherapy in Sports Injury Management”, 1995,

Human Kinetics

 Thompson & Floyd, “Manual of Structural Kinesiology”, 2001, McGraw Hill

 Denegar, Craig R. “Therapeutic Modalities For Muscular Skeletal Injuries”,

2006, Human Kinetics

 Kent, Michael. “Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine”, 2003,

Oxford University Press

 Reiman, Michael P. & Manske, Robert C. “Functional Testing In Human

Performance” 2009, Human Kinetics

 Kibler, W. Ben, Herring, Stanley A. and Press, Joel M. (1998) Functional

rehabilitation of sports and musculoskeletal injuries. Gaithersburg, Md: Aspen.
 Kjaer, Michael (2003) Textbook of sports medicine: basic science and clinical aspects
of sports injury and physical activity. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Science. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nottingham/detail.action?docID=351491.
 Kraemer, William J. and Fleck, Steven J. (2005) Strength training for young athletes.
2nd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
 Lieber, Richard L. (2002) Skeletal muscle structure, function & plasticity: the
physiological basis of rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.
 MacAuley, Domhnall and Best, Thomas M. (2007) Evidence-based sports medicine.
2nd ed. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishing. Available at:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9780470988732.