Can India’s shooters, wrestlers take advantage of Russia’s absence at the Paris Olympics?

At the Olympics, Russia’s athletes have been in a different league compared to their Indian counterparts. There have been some events, however, where the athletes from the two countries have crossed paths as equals – primarily in shooting and wrestling. With Russia’s athletes not participating in these sports at the Paris Olympics, the question is whether India can take advantage of their absence.

Russia’s ‘absence’

When the parade of nations takes place during the July 26 opening ceremony in the most unique fashion – on a boat down the River Seine – one country will be missing in action: Russia.

Unlike the Tokyo Games three years ago, where 335 athletes from the country competed in 30 sports, there will only be 16 Russians at the Paris Olympics in just six sports. But the 16 athletes won’t be allowed to display their flag, or the colours of their flag on the clothes, and will participate as Individual Neutral Athletes.

This is because of the strict eligibility conditions imposed on Russian – and Belarusian athletes – by the International Olympic Committee following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A key criterion was that the athletes must not have publicly supported Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions or be contracted to the country’s military or security agencies.

The IOC vetted a bunch of Russian athletes and cleared but many, including all 10 wrestlers, refused to participate as neutrals. Had they accepted the invite, wrestlers would have formed the largest group of Russian athletes in a particular sport.

Now, it’ll be tennis where seven players from the country, including Wimbledon semifinalist Daniil Medvedev, will represent the Olympic powerhouse. Others include three each in canoeing and cycling, one each in swimming, trampolining and taekwondo.

For shooters, an opportunity

Russia’s shooters have unfailingly been a podium presence at the Olympics. Along with the USA and China, they are the most successful nation in Olympic shooting and at the Tokyo Games, Russian shooters finished third on the overall table with 8 medals – 2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze.

But months after the Tokyo Games concluded the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), in March 2022, banned Russian shooters – most of whom are with the country’s military – in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion. Consequently, they won’t be there in Paris.

In Tokyo, Russia’s shooters won all their medals in rifle and pistol events. Vitalina Batsarashkina had a golden double in the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events. And the country had podium finishes in women’s 10m air rifle, men’s and women’s 50m rifle 3-position, and the mixed team events.

Coincidentally, India’s strongest chances to end the Olympic medal drought in the sport are in these events. But if the performances at the last two World Championships – where Russians were absent – are anything to go by, it won’t be so straightforward.

India’s shooters have been below par in Olympic events at the Worlds, a trend that repeated at the Asian Games, too.

57 kg freestyle wrestling gold medallist absent

Another prominent absentee would be the gold medallist in the 57kg men’s freestyle wrestling competition, Zavur Uguev. The Russian was the one who denied India its first Olympic gold in wrestling as he defeated Ravi Dahiya in a gruelling final.

While Dahiya, too, won’t be there in Paris – he lost the selection trials at home – Uguev’s absence opens up the field for Aman Sehrawat. The 21-year-old, the only male wrestler from India to qualify for the Paris Olympics, will still have to work very hard to have a shot at a podium finish. His half of the draw features former Olympic and World Championship silver medallist Rei Higuchi of Japan and Worlds bronze medallist from Armenia, Arsen Harutyunyan.

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