Olympic Bronze Medallist Sakshi Malik Dropped from TOPS

Young wrestler Ravi Dahiya, who recently won a World championships bronze medal, was on Friday included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) while struggling Sakshi Malik was dropped from the program. The decision was taken by the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Mission Olympic Cell. Ravi won a bronze in the men’s 57kg freestyle category in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

The bronze also ensured an Olympic quota for India in next year’s Tokyo Games.

Sakshi, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been struggling for long and has been dropped from the Scheme. She had crashed out in the opening round of the 62kg women’s category in Nur-Sultan.

Weightlifter Ragala Venkat Rahul has also been excluded from the TOPS, which provides a monthly financial assistance of Rs 50,000.