Just when you thought that the wrestling protest saga was over, the ad hoc committee at the helm of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has stirred up the hornets’ nest again by giving two of the three most prominent protesting wrestlers an exemption and a direct entry into the upcoming Asian Games.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat have been given direct entry in their respective weight categories. Though the WFI ad hoc committee has announced that selection trials will still be held for those categories, the winners of the trials will be kept on standby.
The decision has already raised a lot of eyebrows as some sort of a quid pro quo to stop the protests that embarrassed the entire sports machinery from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to the sports ministry.
It is also being suggested that the decision is unfair to the other players and was one of the key reasons that former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan was being opposed by the said players as he had called them out for refusing to participate in trials.
News18 has learnt from reliable sources within the ad hoc committee that the decision was taken after due consultation with not just the coaches on the panel, but also from the wrestling federation and within the parameters of the policies of selection of the federation.
A source told News18 that all coaches reported that Punia and Phogat are still the best in their category, and no one opposed their selection as direct entries. When asked about their fitness and match readiness, the source said most coaches felt that their experience is of the level that they can still get themselves ready within three weeks.
One of the players impacted by this decision, Antim Phanghal has raised the issue of how the chosen wrestlers have not been practicing for quite some time. She has also challenged this decision in court.
WFI regulations for selection trials for Asian Games say that while trials in all weight categories are mandatory, the Selection Committee will have the discretion to select iconic players like medalists of Olympic/World Championship without trials provided recommendation by Chief Coach/Foreign Expert.
While Punia is a 2020 Olympics bronze medalist, Phogat won her second medal at the World Championships in 2022.
The other question raised was on why Ravi Dahiya, Olympics silver medalist, did not receive a direct entry like the others. In his case it was pointed out that some injury concerns were the reason why he wasn’t given the same treatment.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has sought a reply from the WFI to explain the exemption of Punia and Phogat from the Asian Games trials.
“If it (basis for selection) is just, fair and reasonable, it is the end of the matter,” said Justice Subramonium Prasad as he listed the matter for hearing on Friday.
The Asian Games 2023 will take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 19 to October 8.
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