Wrestling Federation of India Enhances Coaching Staff for Upcoming Competitions
Strengthening India's Wrestling Program
New Delhi, April 23: Aiming for success at the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has appointed three international coaches along with a High-Performance Director to enhance the national team's training. These foreign experts are set to begin their roles next month.
As per the announcement, Emzarios Bentinidis from Georgia will take charge of the men's freestyle team, while Japan's Kosei Akaishi will coach the women's wrestlers. Gogi Koguashvili has been appointed as the men's Greco-Roman coach, and Ian Butler from the USA will serve as the High-Performance Director, according to the WFI's statement released on Thursday.
Since 2008, India has consistently secured at least one medal at the Olympic Games. Recently, the national team achieved remarkable success at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bringing home 17 medals, including two gold and six silver.
WFI president Sanjay Singh remarked, “These appointments represent a pivotal moment for Indian wrestling. By integrating international expertise and establishing a robust high-performance leadership framework, we are creating a system that nurtures our athletes at all levels. Our ambition extends beyond winning medals; we aim to establish a sustainable path for long-term success.”
All four foreign coaches have impressive credentials in developing champions. Bentinidis, known as Shako, has previously collaborated with some of India's top freestyle wrestlers.
Gogi, a five-time world champion, has previously led Russia's Greco-Roman team, guiding them to an impressive tally of 62 world championship medals, including 18 golds from 2006 to 2025.
Kosei Akaishi has held roles as both national coach and High-Performance Director for Japan, contributing to their success at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they secured four gold and two bronze medals, and achieving a record of eight gold, one silver, and two bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The men's freestyle and Greco-Roman coaches will join the ongoing National Coaching camps at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow, while Akaishi will be based at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi for the women's camp.
These coaches will collaborate with Butler, who will travel between Lucknow and New Delhi as the Indian team prepares for the 2026 Asian Games scheduled to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September.