Kumar, 50, also added that the selection process for referees started at the 2019 Senior World Wrestling Championship
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Tokyo Olympics : Internation wrestling refree Ashok Kumar is one of the refrees at Tokyo 2020. He is also the only Indian nominated to officiate bouts at the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to take place in July-August. Wrestling governing body– United World Wrestling had earlier nominated Kumar.
“I’m the only Indian referee selected by the UWW. I will be officiating bouts during the Olympics. There was a selection process to select candidates for the Olympics and I successfully cleared those norms,” Kumar told IANS.
Kumar, 50, also added that the selection process for referees started at the 2019 Senior World Wrestling Championship in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan, and then at the Asian Olympics Qualifiers held last month in Almaty.
“The final selection was done during recently concluded World Olympic Qualifiers in Sofia, Bulgaria. I was official in all three main competitions,” he said.
Kumar, an employee of the Indian Air Force, was also nominated to officiate bouts during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday requested the country to support its Olympics-bound athletes. The athletes look ready to shine at the upcoming Games in Tokyo. The players have been facing a lot of issues with regard to the uncertainty that came with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pushed by a year due to a widespread global health crisis, the Tokyo Olympics schedule is July 23 to August 8.
“I invite every Indian to cheer for our athletes as they train to win laurels for India despite difficult times. Yes, India is ready to go and shine at the #Tokyo2020 Olympics! Kiren Rijiju wrote on his Twitter handle.
“Join me in wishing our athletes all the very best for the Olympics”. Rijiju said towards the end of a video before featuring Indian athletes.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) asked for details from national federations about the vaccinated athletes and officials. A set of officials will also travel to Tokyo for the Games.
