Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia could be withdrawn from Asian Games squad if they lose Worlds trials: IOA’s ad-hoc panel member | More sports News – Times of India
While Punia competes in the 65kg weight category, Phogat competes in the 53kg category. Both wrestlers were given direct entries to represent India in the Asian Games, while other candidates in the remaining 16 Olympic weight categories had to go through tough trials on July 22-23 to secure their spots in the Indian team for the Hangzhou Games, scheduled to begin on September 23.
Punia, Phogat, and four other wrestlers had previously staged a sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar from April 21 to May 28, and they had requested time until August 10 to prepare for the trials.However, the Olympic Council Asia (OCA) did not extend the deadline beyond July 23 for receiving wrestling entries by name.
The IOA ad-hoc panel subsequently decided to conduct trials for the remaining weight categories but granted exemptions to both Punia and Phogat, which led to criticism from the wrestling community.
Accusations of bias were made regarding this decision, as it raised concerns about fair selection processes and equal opportunities for all eligible wrestlers.
“We will propose to the panel that only if Bajrang and Vinesh win the World Championship trials, only then they should be sent for the Asian Games, otherwise not. If Bajrang loses the trial then he will be on stand-by and the winner of the Asian Games trial (Vishal Kaliraman) will go,” Gian Singh, a member of the panel, told PTI.
As of now Kaliraman (men’s freestyle 65kg) and Antim Panghal (women’s 53kg) are standby players, having won the Asian Games trials in categories where Bajrang and Vinesh compete.
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We did not run away from trials: Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat
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In the Olympic weight categories, the top-four finishers during the Asian Games trials and one of the six protesting wrestlers (in relevant category) will be mixed to form one group.
“We are proposing that the two third-place winners (in July 22-23 trials) should play an eliminator between them and the winner will be pitted against the trial winner. The exempted wrestler will be pitted against the grappler who lost the final.
“Then the winners of these bouts should clash against each other to win a place in Indian team for Worlds,” Gian Singh explained.
“This is what we are going to propose in the next ad-hoc committee meeting. Let’s see if they agree.”
Apart from Punia and Vinesh, the other wrestlers who will be placed in these groups will be Sakshi Malik, her husband Satyawart Kadian, Jitender Kinha and Punia’s wife Sangeeta Phogat.
Sakshi, Sangeeta, Kadian and Kinha did not compete in Asian Games trials.
Gian Singh said that none of these six wrestlers have so far communicated to them if they will compete in the Worlds trial.
For the non-Olympic weight categories, there will be open trials with all eligible candidates allowed to compete. There will be a relaxation up to two kgs for all.
The non-Olympic weight categories in the men’s freestyle are 61kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg while in women’s wrestling it’s 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg. In Greco Roman style, the categories are: 55kg, 63kg, 72kg, 82kg.
The wrestlers who have already worked hard to win the Asian Games trials, feel that it’s unfair to ask them to appear in the trials again.
“We have just finished trials. Now do we train or again start preparing for another trial (for Worlds). This is torturous. It’s very hard on the body. It’s time to start preparing for the big tournament rather than stay worried about weight-cut that takes a toll on the body,” said a wrestler who won the Asian Games trial.
“It makes no sense to organise the trials again. They are not helping the wrestlers. It’s a tough sport.”
Gian Singh though said everyone will have to appear in the trials.
(With PTI inputs)
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