Sushil Kumar: Two-time Olympic Medallist to Murder Accused.

Only a while ago, it wasn't uncommon to see Sushil Kumar wrapped in the Tricolour, proudly winning laurels for India as a world-class wrestler. It was in 2008 and 2012 that he won medals at the pinnacle of sporting events, the Olympics, signifying a new era in Indian wrestling. 9 years later, he walked out into the daylight, instead covering his face with a towel in shame, in one of the darkest days in Indian sports history.

A shocking sight unfolded before our eyes on 23rd May, as the decorated Olympian was arrested by the Delhi Police after being on the run for almost three weeks. He was nabbed as a suspect in the murder case of a junior wrestler named Sagar Dhankar and was allegedly part of a group that assaulted him outside Chatrasal stadium in Delhi on May 4th. In fact, the biggest irony was that he was arrested on World Wrestling Day, outside a stadium central to his rise, five days before his 38th birthday.

Born in Baprola village in South - West Delhi, Sushil Kumar aspired to be a wrestler, looking up to his father and cousin. As the son of a DTC bus conductor, he did not let his humble origins play spoilsport to his dreams, and he began training at the world-class Chhatrasal stadium from the age of 14. His rise began steeply, as he won gold at the 1998 World Cadet Games and followed it up with a gold at the Asian junior wrestling championships. When the senior tournaments came his way, his victories on the mat further propelled him up the Indian wrestling ladder. However, it was only in Beijing in 2008 that he worked himself out of the shadows of obscurity, turning millions of eyes towards himself. The fact that India only had two individual medals in wrestling in the past century helped his case. In 2010, he followed his performance with a gold at the World Championships, and then in 2012, bettered his Olympic Performance with a silver medal.

Tournament after tournament, Sushil Kumar not only won a plethora of medals but also a truckload of respect. The Chhatrasal Stadium became a mecca for Indian wrestlers, and Sushil Kumar's name was embellished in gold. Yet, he maintained a persona of public humility and often assisted wrestlers at his alma mater. At his peak, he even put on a show for the wrestlers at the stadium, who looked up to their idol in awe. Sushil Kumar became a catalyst for change in the Indian wrestling circuit. His example helped India gain many world-class wrestlers, namely the Phogat sisters, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Deepak Punia, and Yogeshwar Dutt. At the Chhatrasal Stadium, the entrance beholds a Hanuman statue, and adjacent to it are two pictures of Sushil Kumar. This is the status of India's premium wrestler. Or, rather was.

After 2012, Sushil Kumar's performances on the mat took a dip, assisted by off-the-field controversies. Many wrestlers close to Sushil Kumar blamed his gradual downfall on his former coach and father-in-law, Satpal Singh, who started the Chhatrasal Stadium akhara in 1988 and ran it. In 2016, he handed the reins to his son - in - law, to keep control within the family. Post this, Chhatrasal lost many high-profile wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Yogeshwar Dutt, due to reported disagreements with Sushil.

As he continued to indulge himself in sports administration, eyebrows continued to be raised over his actions. In 2016, he came into the limelight due to a dispute with the national wrestling federation over being selected for the Rio Olympics. Maharashtra's Narsingh Yadav had won the quota, but Sushil Kumar insisted on having trails held. A week before the Games, Narsingh Yadav failed a dope test and filed an FIR against Sushil Kumar's allies at Chhatrasal for allegedly spiking his food. The sports ministry of India had even appointed Kumar as a national observer in Mission Olympics, for 2020, 2024 and 2028 Games. However, many raised objections to this appointment as the guidelines stated that the sportsman should have been "non - active" and should have "ended his sporting career." This year, Sushil Kumar had won a gold in the 74 kg category at the National Wrestling Championships. However, his last three rounds were merely walkovers, in which the opponents handed him victory out of respect. These controversies didn't end here. After the trials for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Praveen Rana, Kumar's opponent, was beaten by a group of people, allegedly supporters of Kumar. Rana and his brother ended up in hospital for treatment, and an FIR was registered against Sushil and his supporters. Now, Sushil Kumar has hit a new low. According to the Delhi Police, there is electronic evidence against him in the murder case, making him the prime accused.

From podium to prison, Sushil Kumar has fallen into disgrace, not only maligning his image but also staining Indian sport forever. In a country where sport represents the height of patriotic fervour, the downfall of an inspirational sportsperson into the murky shadows of crime is a blotchy spot on the sporting legacy. Is this how an illustrious career ends for Sushil Kumar? The answer may be a heartbreaking yes.

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