Wrestling with the system: Rudraneil Sengupta on the sport’s athlete-led revolt

It has been inspiring to watch Indian wrestlers take a stand for their sport. Sadly, the steps they took next are derailing the movement.

The protests by India’s top wrestlers that led to the suspension of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Singh last month were unprecedented and held the refreshing promise of change and the whiff of something radical: player-led rebellion in Indian sport.

Generations of athletes, activists and journalists have railed in vain against the practice of federations being ruled by political strongmen (Singh is only the latest in a long tradition) who have scant knowledge about the sport they are