When the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) show-caused Geeta Phogat for indiscipline and barred her from participating in an Olympic Games qualifying event, scheduled in Istanbul in May 2016, followers of the sport believed it was a big blow to India’s chances of securing a quota place for the Rio Games.
Even though Olympian Geeta (58kg) — who shot into fame by winning the Delhi Commonwealth Games gold in 2010 — and her sister Babita (53kg), another Commonwealth Games and Worlds medallist, were good prospects, the WFI had to take strict action for the embarrassing moment India had to endure at the international stage. The two sisters had forfeited their inconsequential repechage round matches after failing to qualify for the Olympics in the qualifier in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
However, a less-known Sakshi Malik, who was Geeta’s replacement, and Vinesh, a cousin of the Phogat sisters who took the place of Babita, did not disappoint by claiming two quota places for the country.
