WFI appoints Shako, Koguashvili and Akaishi as coaches; Butler named high-performance director for Asian Games, Olympics push

NEW DELHI: Focused on winning multiple medals at the 2026 Asian Games and 2028 Olympics, the Wrestling Federation of India has appointed three foreign coaches and a High-Performance Director to work with the national squad, and the foreign experts are expected to resume office next month.

According to a release, Georgia’s Emzarios Bentinidis will be the men’s freestyle coach, Japan’s Kosei Akaishi will look after the women wrestlers, Gogi Koguashvili will be the coach for men’s Greco-Roman, while American Ian Butler will be the High-Performance Director, according to the Wrestling Federation of India release on Thursday.

India has won at least one medal at the Olympic Games since 2008, and the national contingent recently grabbed 17 medals, including two gold and six silver, in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

“These appointments mark a significant milestone in Indian wrestling. By bringing in international expertise and establishing a dedicated high-performance leadership structure, we are building a system that supports our athletes at every level. Our goal is not only to win medals but to create a sustainable pathway for long-term excellence,” said WFI president Sanjay Singh.

All four foreign experts come with a pedigree of producing champions. Bentinidis, popularly known as Shako, has already worked with some of the country’s top freestyle wrestlers.

Gogi, a five-time world champion, has earlier served as the head coach of Russia’s Greco-Roman team, helping them clinch 62 world championships medals, including 18 gold between 2006 and 2025.

Japan’s Kosei Akaishi has served as national coach and High-Performance Director with his country’s national team, which went on to win four gold and two bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a record 8 gold, one silver and two bronze medals in Paris 2024.

The men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman coaches will join the National Coaching camps currently underway at SAI’s Regional Centre in Lucknow, while Akaishi will be stationed in Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi, for the women’s camp.

The three coaches will work together with Butler, who will be shuttling between Lucknow and New Delhi as the Indian contingent begins its countdown for the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September. (ANI)