Vinesh, Bajrang could be withdrawn from Asian Games if they lose Worlds trials

It will be proposed to the IOA adhoc panel that Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat be withdrawn from Indias Asian Games squad if they lose the upcoming trials for the World Championships a member of the committee said on TuesdayPunia mens freestyle 65kg and Phogat womens 53kg were given direct entries for the quadrennial showpiece while other candidates in the remaining 16 Olympic weight categories went through gruelling trials on July 2223 to book their places in the Indian team for the Hangzhou Games beginning September 23Punia Phogat and four other wrestlers who staged a sitin protest at Delhis Jantar Mantar from April 21 to May 28 had sought time till August 10 to prepare for the trialsHowever the Olympic Council Asia OCA did not extend the deadline beyond July 23 for receiving wrestling entries by nameThe IOA adhoc panel then decided to conduct trials but exempted both Punia and Phogat triggering angry reactions from the wrestling fraternity including parents and coaches They alleged bias in the decision and even reached IOA headquarters to express their displeasureAlso Read Protest against Asian Games 2023 wrestling trials exemption reaches IOA doorsWe will propose to the panel that only if Bajrang and Vinesh win the World Championship trials only then they should be sent for the Asian Games otherwise not If Bajrang loses the trial then he will be on standby and the winner of the Asian Games trial Vishal Kaliraman will go Gian Singh a member of the panel told PTIAs of now Kaliraman mens freestyle 65kg and Antim Panghal womens 53kg are standby players having won the Asian Games trials in categories where Bajrang and Vinesh competeLIKELY CRITERIAIn the Olympic weight categories the topfour finishers during the Asian Games trials and one of the six protesting wrestlers in relevant category will be mixed to form one groupWe are proposing that the two thirdplace winners in July 2223 trials should play an eliminator between them and the winner will be pitted against the trial winner The exempted wrestler will be pitted against the grappler who lost the finalThen the winners of these bouts should clash against each other to win a place in Indian team for Worlds Gian Singh explainedThis is what we are going to propose in the next adhoc committee meeting Lets see if they agreeApart from Punia and Vinesh the other wrestlers who will be placed in these groups will be Sakshi Malik her husband Satyawart Kadian Jitender Kinha and Punias wife Sangeeta PhogatSakshi Sangeeta Kadian and Kinha did not compete in Asian Games trialsGian Singh said that none of these six wrestlers have so far communicated to them if they will compete in the Worlds trialFor the nonOlympic weight categories it will be open trials with all eligible candidates allowed to compete There will be a relaxation up to two kgs for allThe nonOlympic weight categories in the mens free style are 61kg 70kg 79kg and 92kg while in womens wrestling its 55kg 59kg 65kg and 72kg In Greco Roman style the categories are 55kg 63kg 72kg 82kgThe wrestlers who have already worked hard to win the Asian Games trials feel that its unfair to ask them to appear in the trials againAlso Read BFI has some explaining to doWe have just finished trials Now do we train or again start preparing for another trial for Worlds This is torturous Its very hard on the body Its time to start preparing for the big tournament rather than stay worried about weightcut that takes a toll on the body said a wrestler who won the Asian Games trialIt makes no sense to organise the trials again They are not helping the wrestlers Its a tough sportGian Singh though said everyone will have to appear in the trialsWith PTI inputs