We never wanted any exemption from trials: Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia

Ending their silence over the controversy regarding the selection trials, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, during a Facebook live, said they are not running away from trials.

World championships medallists Punia and Phogat were handed direct berths for the Asian Games by the IOA ad-hoc committee, leading to a lot of acrimony in the wrestling fraternity. Junior world champion Antim Panghal and U23 Asian medallist Sujeet Kalkal moved Delhi high court against the order but their petition was dismissed. Antim who won the 53kg trials, will have her name in standby.

"We were waiting for the court order to come out and speak. We never wanted any exemption from trials. All we said was that we needed a month's practice to comeback. Some people are doing politics in our name. They never came and supported our cause when the entire nation was with us but now, they are instigating and dividing the wrestling fraternity," said Tokyo Olympics medallist Punia during the Facebook live.

"We are not running the sports ministry and ad-hoc committee. We were fighting for everyone, sitting there on the road in Jantar Mantar," he said.

Phogat, who Antim has challenged, said they have never run away from trials in their entire career.

"We have no issues in giving trials. Take trials and whoever wins will go. We have been saying this," said Vinesh. "I am happy that the junior girls are fighting for themselves, at least they have the guts to talk now. Earlier nobody would come out and talk when Brij Bhushan changed the rules of trials.

"She is right in saying 'haq milna chahiye (I must get my right).' She is right, fight for your right but do not portray us in wrong manner. I have given my life to the sport, got inspired by Sushil pehelwan and his Olympic medals. I wanted to make my contribution so that girls can come out and do wrestling."

Referring to Antim's allegation that she felt cheated in the Commonwealth Games trials where she lost to Phogat 3-3, she said, "If Brij Bhushan cheated you, I am not at fault for that. I gave trials despite the male wrestlers who won gold in CWG being given an exemption. We were not given an exemption by Brij Bhushan and within 10 days we were appearing in competitions (world championships). I won the trials and then won a medal at the worlds. So never say that I have gone without trials," said a fiery Phogat.

"We were fighting for everyone. During the protest, our families were afraid that anything can happen to us. Leave alone wrestling, we put our lives at stake but how many of these people who are talking now came forward to support," she said.

Though Punia and Phogat have been given automatic qualification, based on the selection policy of the WFI, the IOA has said that no wrestler will go without a "final assessment." The trials for the world championships are scheduled before August 15 and no exemption has been given to any wrestler. Punia and Phogat, who are training overseas, will have to take the selection trials.

"Let's all sit together and resolve the situation," Punia told the wrestling fraternity. "If we are wrong, we will leave the mat."

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