IOA ad-hoc panel awaits OCA response on deadline extension for wrestling trials

The IOA adhoc panel members held a meeting on Tuesday but could not finalise a date to conduct wrestling trials for the Asian Games and World Championship as the Olympic Council of Asia OCA has still not responded to its request for July 15 deadline extensionThe IOA is supposed to give names of all participating Indian athletes to the Asian Games organisers by July 15 and it had requested them to extend the deadline to August 10 so that it could provide the protesting wrestlers enough time to be readySix wrestlers Vinesh Phogat Bajrang Punia Sangeeta Phogat Sakshi Malik Satyawart Kadian Jitender Kinha ndash had requested the sports ministry to grant them additional time to prepare for Asian Games trialsThey had contended that they are not in good physical shape to appear in trials due to their 38day long protest against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan SinghThe adhoc panel on its part had exempted them from Asian Games and World Championships trials and made it a onebout affair a move that invited criticism from all quarters including wrestlers and their coaches and parentsAlso Read Bias is not good Coaches parents express displeasure over exemption given to six wrestlersWait for a day or two We are hoping it OCA reply for extension should come in a day or two Though we have not got any indication about the extension we are hopeful of getting positive news by Thursday Bajwa told PTIWrestling coach Gian Singh who was added to the threemember adhoc panel later is hoping that OCA will eventually extend the deadlineIts not yet confirmed but I sense it will happen There was a meeting today but no decision was taken Now another meeting will take place on July 6 It means that trials cannot be held at such a short notice before July 15 Mr Bajwa is not saying it openly He is saying it will happen but he is not confirming it added Singh a Dhyan Chand awardeeSingh though said he was certain the extension will come soonI am confident that it extension will happen because if trials are held after July 6 there will be logistical problems Are you not going to give time to wrestlers to prepare travel plan he saidRIFT IN ADHOC PANELIndicating that things were far from ideal in the adhoc panel Singh said Bajwa wants to take all the decisions by himself giving a feeling that the previous WFI setup was still in placeBajwa doesnt talk much with us We just come out of compulsion I come for meetings because I dont want the wrestlers to suffer said SinghHe urged Bajwa to interact with other adhoc panel members and inform them about the developmentsldquoThe other day previous meeting on Friday I said we dont discuss anything He said we do meet Sharing pleasantries doesnt mean meeting or discussing issuesWe sat even today but didnt take any decisionThe coach lamented that the purpose of serving the wrestlers was being lost by not discussing about trials and competitionsWe are not talking about trials Hes saying once the letter comes from OCA and we get clarity on dates extension only then we can proceed It is confirmed that he is taking advice from the WFI officials who controlled the sport earlier alleged SinghWHY SUMA SHIRUR IS IN PANELSingh said he even thought of resigning but held himself back for the sake of the wrestlers adding that one of the panel members remained perpetually absent from meetingsI have never met Suma Shirur since Ive been included in the committee Dont know why she is in the panel I hear she is in Bhopal coaching or something I had seen her once at the trials in Sonepat But since I was included in the committee we have never met he addedShirur is the national rifle shootting coachWith PTI inputs