Date set for wrestling trials for Asian Games: Exemption for trio?

The IOA ad-hoc committee on Wednesday decided to hold much-awaited Asian Games wrestling trials on July 22-23 and though the panel has not revealed the format and criteria, it may exempt current Olympic and world medallists from the selection competition which will hand direct entries to Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Ravi Dahiya.

After IOA's request for deadline extension beyond July 22 was shot down by the OCA, the ad-hoc panel met in New Delhi and decided that men's Greco Roman and women's trials will be held on July 22 and the selection of the men's free style team will be done the next day.

Trials in 18 Olympic weight categories -- six each in three formats (free style and Greco Roman for men and free style for women) -- have to be conducted by the ad-hoc committee, which is managing the day-to-day affairs of WFI.

"We have decided to conduct the trials on July 22 and 23 at the Kedar Jadhav hall in IG Stadium. First we will invite the Greco Roman and women's wrestlers and then the men's free style wrestlers," ad-hoc panel head Bhupender Singh Bajwa told PTI.

"We also want our U-20 wrestlers to compete in the Asian Games trials. They will return to India on July 21 and hence we want to give them a chance to make a case for themselves. I will share the criteria with you all tomorrow. We are still undecided on that," Bajwa added.

India's U-15 and U-20 contingents are in Jordan's capital city of Amman to compete in the Asian Championship.

Sources close to the ad-hoc panel indicated that the committee may introduce the criteria of exempting the current Olympic and world championships medallists from these trials.

"Don't be surprised if exemptions are handed to a few wrestlers. The committee is thinking about exempting Olympic and world medallists. If it stamps the decision, then Bajrang Punia (65kg) and Ravi Dahiya (57kg) being the Olympic medallist will be given direct entries. Similarly, Vinesh (53kg) is current world medallist," the source said.

Bajrang had won a bronze while Ravi claimed a silver medal at the Tokyo Games. Vinesh had won a bronze last year in the World Championship.

If that criteria is finalised, the upcoming wrestlers will be left disappointed.

Sujeet is the reigning U-23 Asian Champion in the 65kg category and Aman Sehrawat has proved himself in the 57kg weight class in the absence of Ravi Dahiya, who did not compete of late due to injury.

Antim Panghal, country's first U-20 World Champion, is also a fine future prospect in 53kg category, which Vinesh made her own with a string of performances in run up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.    

"This will be gross injustice done to the future talent. Where will we go if they don't allow young wrestlers to compete? The government is there to set things right. Why is it allowing such things to happen," an angry Dayanad Kalakal, who is father and coach of Sujeet, told PTI.

"They are saying there are past precedents to send wrestlers without trials but if some wrong things have been done in the past, why not rectify now? They are killing the career of these young wrestlers even before they have had a proper start.

"These young wrestlers have been dreaming of competing at the Asian Games. Why these protesting wrestlers are not competing in trials? It means Neta ji (WFI chief Singh) was right when he said the protest against him was launched just to avoid trials," alleged Kalakal. 

Six wrestlers -- Vinesh, Bajrang, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Kadiyan and Jitender Kinha -- had requested the IOA to give them time till August 10 to prepare for the trial, saying they are not in best physical and mental shape due to their months-long protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

While Vinesh is in Budapest to compete in season's last UWW Ranking Series event from Thursday, Bajrang, Jitender and Sangeeta are in Bishkek for training.

Sakshi and her husband Kadiyan are in the US for training.

The panel had earlier proposed that trials will be held in two stages where the six wrestlers will be asked to compete against the winners of the initial trials to book their slot for the Asian Games.

However, the decision had invited criticism from all quarters with many terming it as "biased" and "unfair".

The ad-hoc panel will meet again on Friday to decide on the final criteria.

"Tomorrow, the committee members will meet Sports Minister and IOA President. We want to take their advice. It is also being deliberated that six protesting wrestlers' names can be sent as reserves also," coach Gian Singh, a panel member, said.

"The best 3-4 wrestlers in each category can be asked to compete against each other in a round-robin format in August and the best wrestler can be picked for the Asian Games, but nothing is finalised," he added.

While Asian Games will have competition in six weight categories in each style, World Championship has as many as 10 categories.

Trials in the remaining four categories will held later as the last date for sending entries is August 16.