Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshee Malikkh criticized the government's decision of giving Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia a free pass, without trials, into the Asian Games 2023.
The 30-year-old Malikkh was shoulder to shoulder with Phogat and Punia during their protest against disgraced WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan. In a Twitter post, she said all that they had asked for was a change in the date of trials. She was not for exemptions and said that government was doing this only to create fissures within the wrestling community.
"The government has done the work of breaking the unity of the wrestlers by sending their names directly to the Asian Games. I have never gone to compete without trial nor do I support it. I am disturbed by this intention of the government. We had talked about extending the date of trials, but the government has defamed us with the exemption," Malikkh posted on Twitter.
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She also revealed that she received an offer of exemption from the government but declined it.
"We had demanded time from the Ad Hoc committee so that our trials are conducted after August 10 because we were unable to train. Accordingly, they sent a letter giving us time. This is the reason we came out for the training. However, I got a call from the govt saying that they are forwarding the name of both of them (Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat) directly for the Asian Games and asked me to send a mail so that my name could also be forwarded. I refused as I did not want a direct entry. I haven't been to any tournament without the trials neither will I ever do so in future," Malikkh told a news outlet.
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The concessions given to Phogat and Punia created disharmony among wrestlers. Many called it unfair and some of the wrestlers are taking to legal route to contest the decision.
