WFI may take a soft stand on Amol

Maharashtra Herald June 25, 2007

BY SUHRID BARUA
suhridb@sakalherald.com
Pune: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) may take a soft line over the fate of dope-tainted Maharastra wrestler Amol Buchade. The ace grappler was among eight found guilty by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) of drug-abuse at the 2007 National Games in Guwahati. Amol secured a silver in the 94kg category at the multi-sports extravaganza.
“We are awaiting the report from the IOA, which we would be receiving in a few day’s time. We’d take the issue further once we get the report,” said WFI secretary Kartar Singh on Sunday.
Kartar, a twice Asian Games gold-winning wrestler, however, indicated that the WFI is in favour of giving Amol a decent hearing before anything is decided upon. “Amol is just 24, and has lot of wrestling left in him. We don’t want to do anything in haste. He (Amol) would be given an opportunity to present his case and then, we would act accordingly,” Kartar said.
The WFI secretary, who also has the distinction of being the national champion from 1973 to 1988, feels it is too early to talk about the quantum of punishment to be handed out to the grappler. “We would constitute a special committee, which would meet to thrash out whether any quantum of punishment is there to be handed out
to Amol,” Kartar explained.
Meanwhile, the man in question sounded bullish of coming out clean. “My conscience is clear. I’ve done nothing wrong. I was down with a bout of typhoid a month before the National Games and was undertaking medication for the same,” he said.
Amol conceded it was wrong on his part to have participated in the National Games. “In hindsight, I feel I shouldn’t have taken part, especially when I was under the weather. My physical fitness was not up to the mark then, but mentally I was strong enough to take the plunge,” Amol says with a tinge of dejection.
All he wishes now is to play for the country again. “I want to turn out for the country and reap more laurels. I not only want this whole episode get over as soon as possible but also get a clean chit from the Federation,” Amol quipped.