Two-time Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar has opted out of the World Championships after sustaining a shoulder injury, thereby taking the sheen out of the upcoming selection trials, slated for July 6-7 in New Delhi.
The World championships, scheduled to be held in Las Vegas from September 7-12, will also be the first qualification tournament for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"Yes, I have sustained an injury to my right shoulder while practising. So I would not be able to take part in the upcoming selection trials. So, automatically that rules me out of the first qualifying event for next year's Rio Olympic Games," Sushil said.
"I have been advised by the doctors to take rest. At the moment, I don't know exactly how long my injury will take to heal completely, but I am taking good care," he added.
Sushil's injury has ended what could have been an enthralling battle between the veteran wrestler and the young Narsingh Pancham Yadav in the selection trials slated for July 6-7 for a place in the World Championships.
After the World Championships, there are six more qualification tournaments, all of which are scheduled to be held next year, starting from March 2016.
The 32-year-old grappler said that it would not be wise to aggravate the injury as there are a number of qualifying events before the Olympics.
"I am not keen to take a chance, even though the injury is not so serious. It is not good to take part in a competition half fit. I will be competing in the qualifying events next year before the Rio Olympics and I have been working hard for it," insisted the wrestler from Haryana.