High Court: Explain basis for trial exemption to Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia

New Delhi, July 20

The Delhi High Court today asked the ad hoc panel running the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) affairs to spell out the basis for the exemption granted to wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia from the Asian Games trials.

Acting on a petition by Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal against the direct entry to Phogat and Punia, Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the WFI to file its response.

“If it (basis for selection) is just, fair and reasonable, it is the end of the matter,” said Justice Prasad. The HC asked the panel counsel to state what was the basis for the selection as the “entire case” of the petitioners was that “there has to be some kind of a trial”. “The petitioners do not doubt their merit…but what they are saying is that past performance alone can’t be the basis of selection,” the court said. & PTI