Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia to be exempt from Asian Games wrestling trials: WFI ad-hoc committee

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) ad-hoc panel has decided to hand Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat direct entries into the Asian Games, a decision allegedly taken without consulting with national coaches.

In a circular, the IOA ad-hoc panel said it has already selected a wrestler in men’s freestyle 65kg and women’s 53kg but trials would be held in all six weight categories in each of the three styles.

While the ad-hoc panel did not categorically name either Punia or Phogat in the circular, panel member Ashok Garg confirmed to news agency PTI that the two wrestlers have been exempted from trials that are scheduled to take place on 22-23 July.

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Both wrestlers, and Sakshi Malik, were face of the protest against outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. They had accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, intimidation, stalking and inappropriate touching.

With Punia and Phogat unable to compete in international tournaments this year, Sujeet Kalakal and Antim Panghal have logged impressive performances in the same categories.

Antim had become India’s first U20 World Champion last year and also won a silver medal at the senior Asian Championship this year.

Sujeet is current U23 and U20 Asian champion. He also won a bronze at the U20 World Championship.

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The ad-hoc panel did not favour four other protesting wrestlers – Sakshi Malik, her husband Satyawart Kadiyan, Jitender Kinha and Bajrang’s wife Sangeeta Phogat.

The rescheduled Asian Games are slated to be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou from September 23.

In the trials, set to take place at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, greco-roman and women’s freestyle matchups are scheduled for July 22, while the men’s freestyle trials will be held on July 23.

Bajrang, who competes in the 65kg category, is currently training in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, Vinesh, a 53kg wrestler, is training in Budapest, Hungary.

Phogat had pulled out of the recent Ranking Series event in Budapest due to sickness.

All six grapplers who were part of the protest, had sought time till August 10 to prepare for the Asian Games and World Championships trials.

Exemption criteria

According to WFI guidelines, the selection trials in all weight categories are mandatory, however, the Selection Committee has the discretion to select the iconic players like medallists of Olympic/World Championship without trials provided it has come as a recommendation by Chief Coach/Foreign Expert.

Both Bajrang and Vinesh fit that bill but in this case men’s freestyle national coach Jagmander Singh and women’s national coach Virender Dahiya were unaware of this decision.

“I am not even aware that such a decision has been taken. The ad-hoc panel had stopped calling us for meetings. We have not made any such recommendation, we favoured trials in all categories,” Jagmander told PTI.

Dahiya said," We don’t know in what shape Bajrang and Vinesh are in. They have not competed in the last eight months. You get to know about speed, strength, weight, only during the competitions. And they have not competed after CWG and World Championship last year, so we do not know how good they are at this moment."

“And in both 53kg and 65kg categories, there are solid youngsters who can compete well. Their strength is good. The ad-hoc panel has overruled us in making this decision,” he alleged.

Competitors cry foul

The move to exempt Bajrang and Vinesh from trials has not gone down well with fellow competitors who have threatened to move court.

“Yes, we will move court. Why should our kids suffer due to discriminatory decision by the ad-hoc panel. All we want is a fair trial,” demanded the father of a wrestler.

Ad-hoc panel chief Bhupender Singh Bajwa said in the circular, “if a unit or athlete has any grievance against the selection trials directive, the unit and athlete may write their grievance to the ad-hoc committee.”

Will other four wrestlers compete?

It remains to be seen whether Sangeet, Kinha, Kadian and Sakshi are able to return to the country and compete in four day’s time.

Sangeeta is in Hungary, where she won a bronze in a UWW Ranking series event, while Sakshi and Kadian are in the US for training. Kinha is with Bajrang in Kyrgyzstan as the Olympic bronze medallist’s sparring partner.

(with inputs from PTI)