New Delhi: The WFI ad-hoc panel on Tuesday handed direct entries into the Asian Games to Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist wrestlers Bajrang Punia and two-time world championships medalist Vinesh Phogat, a decision which was taken without the consent of the national chief coaches.

IOA hand direct entry

Both the players will not have to participate in the trials for the Asian Games. He is exempted from trial. The ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has decided to hold the trials at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium on July 22 and 23.

Vinesh and Bajrang will not participate in this. Both will be able to participate directly in the Asian Games. The players who win the trials in their respective weight categories will be on standby.

The date for the trials was announced by the ad-hoc committee after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) did not provide any further relaxation in the date of sending the entries. According to committee member Bhupender Singh Bajwa, there will be trials for Greco-Roman and women’s category on 22nd, while on 23rd there will be trials for freestyle category. The trials will be held in all six weight categories.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat likely to go to the Asian Games directly without appearing for trials after the Ad-hoc committee gives them exemption: Sources

(file photos) pic.twitter.com/Pr9X4VwDrC

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2023

These wrestlers are preparing abroad

The IOA had asked the OCA to extend the Asian Games entry date till August 5, which was pushed to July 23. The organizing committee refused to give more relief than this. All the six wrestlers sitting on the agitation are currently preparing abroad. Bajrang, Jitender, Sangeeta are in Kyrgyzstan, Vinesh has gone to Hungary to play the fourth ranking tournament, while Sakshi Malik and Satyavrat Kadian are preparing in the US.

Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, was the main face of the protest along side  Sakshi Malik, Satyawart Kadian, Sangeeta Phogat, Jitendra Kinha against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.