Non-Protesting Wrestlers Write To PM Modi, Demand Fair Asian Games Trials

The wrestlers are against concessions given to colleagues who are a part of the ongoing protest

Updated on: 14 July 2023 5:24 am

Protesting wrestlers at a press conference in Delhi

The ongoing wrestlers protest has divided the Indian wrestling fraternity. While many may privately support Vinesh Phogat and Co for the reasons of their protest, they do not want any concessions to be given to them in selection trials.

On Thursday, a group of 24 women wrestlers wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the IOA named ad-hoc panel running the WFI (Wrestling Federation of India). They have requested fair trials for the Asian Games, as there have been reports saying that the six protesting fighters (Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Kadian and Jirender Kinha) may be given some concessions.

The Asian Games trials are to be held on July 22 and 23, according to an earlier announcement by the ad-hoc panel. The IOA has to submit the names of participating wrestlers by July 23.

The wrestlers who sent the letter are from the Sir Chhotu Ram Akhada in Rohtak. They said they are prepared to start a protest of their own if selection criteria was not the same for everyone.

Discontent first set in when Bhupender Singh Bajwa, the head of the panel, told the six protesting wrestlers that they will need to compete in just one final bout against the winners of the initial trials.

The ad-hoc panel is also reportedly discussing a clause which will exempt current Olympic and World Championship medallists from the trials. This will benefit Bajrang, Vinesh and Ravi Dahiya.

"Even if only three Olympians were to be given concessions, this would be wrong to the youngsters," the wrestlers said in the letter, which has also been marked to Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur. "We feel this decision (two-stage trial) is unfair and unjust to the other emerging wrestlers of the nation as we have to fight and win approximately four to five bouts and one more qualifying bout against one of these wrestlers and in contrast they have to just fight a single bout to qualify which is biased, unjustified and against the spirit of right of equality."

The signatories include Pooja Gehlot, winner of a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham CWG.