Bajrang, Vinesh to be cleared for Asian Games after 'final assessment'

Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat will have to go through a “final assessment” of their “current form and performances” before they are cleared to compete at the Hangzhou Asian Games, according to a fresh directive issued by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday.

That assessment will happen at the selection trials for the Belgrade World Championships (Sept 16-24) to be held before the deadline for final team entry on August 15. The IOA ad hoc committee on Wednesday issued a circular for the World Championships trials saying “no exemption will be given in any weight category”. Trials will take place in all 10 weight divisions in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling. The World Championships offer quota places for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Bajrang (65kg) and Vinesh (53kg) were handed direct berths for the Asian Games (Sept 23-Oct 8) on Tuesday by the IOA ad hoc committee governing the wrestling body (WFI). It said the selection trials will be held in all 18 weight divisions, but winners in their two categories will be standbys.

The decision has caused an uproar among the contenders in the two weight categories. Sujeet Kalkal (men’s 65kg freestyle) and Antim Panghal (women’s 53kg) petitioned the Delhi high court on Wednesday. They have challenged the exemption to Vinesh and Bajrang, who have not competed in an international tournament since the World Championships last September where both won bronze medals. The petition will be heard on Thursday.

The six wrestlers who led the protest demanding action against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for sexual harassment had requested the union sports ministry if the trials could be held after August 10 to give them extra time to prepare. The Olympic Council of Asia, approached by IOA, gave only a week’s extension for India to send the send the final entries for the wrestling team. The ad hoc body then announced the trials on July 22-23 and handed only Bajrang and Vinesh automatic berths. It cited the WFI selection policy (Asian Games) that “offered selection to iconic players like medallists of Olympics/World Championships without trials provided (there is) recommendation by chief coach/foreign expert.”

On Wednesday, IOA said the selection committee has finalised the norms so that the “entry process of the team including reserves can be completed before July 23.” It added that to “maximise the chances of sending the most competitive wrestling team to the Asian Games, the final assessment of the wrestling team will be made prior to departure of the team for the competition.”

“This approach will enable us to assess the athlete’s current form, consider their recent performances, and take into account any last-minute developments that may have impacted the selection process.”

Interestingly, IOA issued a statement on Wednesday morning, only to issue an amendment within hours. The initial one read “final selection of wrestlers will be made prior to the departure of the team for the competitions.” In its clarification, “final selection” was changed to “final assessment”.

It is learnt that the form of Bajrang and Vinesh will be assessed during the selection trials for the Belgrade World Championships (Sept 16-24) in August. The dates for the trials are yet to be announced.

“The protesting wrestlers never said they want to go to Asian Games without taking part in selection trials. They will take the trials for the World Championships,” coach Gian Singh, who is a technical expert in the ad hoc committee, said.

However, IOA will have to go to OCA if it wants to make any change to the wrestling squad, including standbys, after deadline. “They can do it for one or two spots, depending on the reason,” said an official in the know of things.

World junior champion Antim Panghal and Sujeet, the U-20 Worlds and Asia medallist, went to court. Their petition seeks the quashing of the exemption given by the IOA ad hoc committee in men’s freestyle 65kg and women's 53kg.

“We had no choice but to move court,” said Sujeet’s coach and father Dayanand Kalkal. “The two wrestlers in question have not competed for a long time and these wrestlers have been training keeping the Asian Games and World Championships as targets this year.”

Panghal and some other wrestlers in the two weight categories also held a protest at Chhotu Ram Chowk in Hisar, Haryana on Wednesday, demanding trials.

“Vinesh is being sent directly for the Asian Games when she has not competed this year. I had a 3-3 bout against her in the Commonwealth Games trials. A fair trial should be conducted,” Panghal said.

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