Protest against Asian Games trials exemption reaches the IOA doors | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A large group consisting of junior wrestlers, their parents, and coaches assembled at the IOA headquarters on Thursday to voice their demand for the withdrawal of the exemption granted to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia from the Asian Games trials. This protest followed a similar demonstration that took place in Hisar the day before.
Approximately 150 individuals, including family members of the wrestlers, have come together to request a meeting with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha and Bhupender Singh Bajwa, the chief of the ad-hoc panel. The protestors are concerned about the fairness of the exemption and hope to address their grievances with the officials.
“All we want is a meeting with IOA top brass. We will not accept any biased decision. This is wrong. We are here to request the panel to withdraw the exemption granted to Bajrang and Vinesh,” Vikas Bhardhwaj, the coach of promising Antim Panghal, told PTI.

The reigning U20 World Champion Panghal and U23 Asian Champion Sujeet Kalkal had slammed the ad-hoc committee’s decision as unjust and unfair and asserted that they are capable of beating Bajrang and Vinesh if they are pitted against them in the trials.
The duo were, however, not present at the IOA Bhawan.
The IOA ad hoc panel, led by Bajwa, had on Tuesday announced the criteria, saying trials will be held in all categories but they have already selected wrestlers in men’s freestyle 65kg and women’s 53kg weight class.
Panghal and Sujeet have also filed a petition at the Delhi Hight Court, demanding that a directive be issued to the IOA ad-hoc committee to quash the exemption granted to Bajrang and Vinesh.
In a tweet, World Championships and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Anshu Malik, who was part of the wrestlers’ protest at Jantar Mantar in January, expressed her support for the junior grapplers.
“An athlete’s biggest dream is to win medals at events such as the Olympics and Asian Games and make all the countrymen proud but what if the rights of those players are snatched,” Anshu, who competes in the women’s 57kg category, tweeted.

“The demand for trials by junior players is correct and it is their right. I support the demand by the junior players,” she wrote in another tweet.
(With PTI Inputs)