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Top Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik on Thursday criticized the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) ad-hoc committee’s decision to exempt Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia from trials for the upcoming Asian Games 2023 and revealed that she too had received the offer but turned it down. Rejected it and want a fair selection process.
On Tuesday, the WFI’s ad hoc panel exempted Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist Punia (65kg) and two-time World Championship medalist Vinesh (53kg) from participating in the selection trials for the Asian Games.
Other wrestlers are set to compete in the selection trials on July 22 and 23 to secure their places in the Indian team and this has angered the rest of the wrestling fraternity including Sakshi.
pic.twitter.com/3at4DEak4y— Sakshi Malik (@SashiMalik) 20 July 2023
Sakshi, 30, who was a key figure along with Vinesh and Bajrang during the wrestlers’ protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, revealed that she along with others sought an extension of the trial date so that they can get trained.
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“We had sought time from the ad-hoc committee as we were unable to train. Accordingly, they sent us a letter giving time and said the trials would be conducted around August 10.
Later, I got a call from the committee that they are directly sending the name of both of them (Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat) for Asian Games and asked me to send a mail so that my name can also be sent. However, I refused as I did not want direct admission. Sakshi told IANS, I do not want to take away the rights of any junior wrestler.
“I have never gone to any tournament without trials and will never do so in future. So, I am against the decision to exempt some names. We were assured, so we came to the foreign land for training. We are facing injustice and we should also get an equal opportunity to compete in the Asian Games,” he said.
Notably, several junior wrestlers, including current U20 world champion Antim Panghal, have raised concerns about Vinesh and Bajrang’s alleged “unfair” exemption from the selection trials.
Antim and U-23 Asian champion Sujit Kalkal on Wednesday challenged in court the direct entry to the two wrestlers.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the ad-hoc panel responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the WFI to explain the reasons behind exempting wrestlers Vinesh and Bajrang from the Asian Games trials.
