Delhi HC reserves order on plea against Asian Games trials exemption to Vinesh, Bajrang

Sujeet Kalkal (L) and Antim Panghal speaking on wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat’s exemption from trials for Asian Games 2023. PTI

The Delhi High Court has reserved its order on the petitions moved by wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal over exemptions given to Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat for the Asian Games trials. Punia and Phogat, two decorated wrestlers, were given a direct entry into the Asian Games by the IOA appointed ad-hoc panel for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

The bench, presided by Justice Subramonium Prasad, on Friday said the court will pronounce the judgement on Saturday with the Asian Games trials scheduled for 22-23 July.

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While reserving the order, the bench clarified that its focus is on whether due process and procedure has been followed or not. It added that the question of who is a better wrestler and more suitable to go to the Asian Games is out of its focus.

The exemptions to the duo promoted a protest by junior grapplers and their families. Panghal and Kalkal had filed a joint petition on Wednesday and asked for the ad-hoc panel’s directive be quashed with neither wrestlers getting exemption.

Antim Panghal had questioned the exemption given to Punia and Phogat by the ad-hoc panel.

“Vinesh Phogat has received a direct entry for the Asian Games, when she had not done any practice in the last one year. She doesn’t have any achievement in the last one year,” Panghal said in a video.

“Last year, in the Junior World Championships, I had won a gold medal and became the first woman wrestler from India to achieve this feat. In the 2023 Asian Championships I won a silver medal, but Vinesh has no achievement to show in the last one year. She was also injured.”

“Sakshi Malik has also won an Olympic medal, she too is not being sent. What is so special about Vinesh that she is being sent. Just organise trials. I am not saying that I am the only one who can beat Vinesh. There are several other girls who can beat her,” said Panghal.

Reigning U-23 Asian champion Sujeet Kalkal also slammed the decision and made a case for himself.

“I had wrestled with Bajrang a year back during the (Birmingham) Commonwealth Games trials, which was very close. During the trials, Bajrang was handed a direct semifinals entry and we had to contest all the bouts,” Kalkal, the reigning senior national champion and last year’s Junior Asian gold medallist, said.

“For the World Championships too (in 2022), Bajrang was given entry to compete without trials. The American wrestler (Yianni Diakomihalis) against whom Bajrang lost 0-10, I have beaten him the World Ranking series 8-2.”

As per the WFI rulebook, reigning Olympic and World Champions medallists can be exempted from trials.