IOA ad-hoc panel makes it one-bout trial for six protesting wrestlers

In a major relief to the protesting wrestlers the IOA adhoc panel on Thursday reduced the upcoming Asian Games and World Championship selection to a onebout competition The wrestlers will now be only required to beat just the winners of the trials to seal their places in the Indian teams for the two prestigious eventsThe six wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat Bajrang Punia Sakshi Malik Sangeeta Phogat Satywart Kadian and Jitender Kinha have not just got the exemption from appearing in the initial trials they have also been promised that they will compete against the winners of the trials between August 5 and 15Interestingly the wrestlers had requested the Sports Ministry to allow them to appear in the Asian Games trials in August because they are underprepared for the competition due to their longdrawn protest against outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is facing sexual harassment chargesElite wrestlers like Bajrang and Vinesh have been given exemptions by WFI from full trials in the past to protect them from injuries but never ever Sangeeta Phogat Satyawart Kadian and Jitender Kinha were considered for such a favourThe adhoc panel is required to hold the Asian Games trials before July 15 the deadline to send the details of all Indian squads to the organisersBy conducting the initial trials the Indian Olympic Association IOA will be able to send wrestlers names to Olympic Council of Asia OCA within the July 15 deadline but it can later replace the entries if protesting wrestlers end up beating the winners of the initial trialsAlso Read Wrestlers willing to take part in Asian Games trials say need a month amp half to prepareAdhoc panel head Bhupender Singh Bajwa communicated the decision to the wrestlers on June 16 A copy of the letter is in possession of PTIThe trial of these wresters will be conducted with the winners of the respective weight categories for Asian GamesWorld Championships Olympic qualification trials conducted for participation if done previously the letter readThe IOA had approached the Olympic Council of Asia OCA on June 16 seeking extension of the July 15 deadline for submitting entries by names for the Indian wrestling teamIOA itself had asked all National Sports Federations NSFs to provide the details of their respective squads by June 30 so that it can honour the OCA deadline without any fussOCA is yet to respond to the IOA request if the details of the Indian wrestling squad could be submitted on August 15When Bajwa was contacted for a comment on the exemption given to the six wrestlers he did not give a clear answerIt will all depend on OCAs reply Maybe the OCA will allow us to hold all trials in August then its not a problem said BajwaThe Asian Games and World Championship dates are clashing there is a small gap of just 57 days between the two events A few wrestlers are preparing for the Asian Games and others for World ChampionshipA few want to win Asian Games medal and others want to qualify for 2024 Olympics through World Championship August 16 is the date to send names for the World Championships I feel these kids protesting wrestlers are more keen to compete in the Worlds he addedIn the previous WFI set up also top wrestlers like Bajrang Ravi Dahiya and Vinesh used to get similar exemptions from trials In the most recent past Bajrang and Ravi were handed direct semifinal entries into the Commonwealth Games trialsIt was being portrayed that the protest was to bring about a change in Indian wrestling But I fail to understand how Same things are being repeated A few wrestlers are getting favours Earlier it was WFI which was favouring these wrestlers by giving them exemptions and now this adhoc body said the father of a wrestlerAnyway what can we do about it We are ready for a fight But it is not fair that these wrestlers compete in just one bout and our children have to go through a full draw Ye log to bas malaai khaana chahte hain These top wrestlers just want cream of everything he addedMeanwhile an official who was associated with the previous WFI set up said this move further proves their point that the top wrestlers all the time want to skip trialsThey always had a problem with WFIs fair policies They never wanted to come to Indian team through trials We honoured their unjustified demands because they are top wrestlers but they are still making the same demands It proves our point they want to control over WFI matters said the official who did not wish to be namedWith PTI inputs