2 grapplers oppose trial exemption to Bajrang, Vinesh; hearing in HC today

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New Delhi, July 19

Grapplers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court against the exemption from trial granted to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for the Asian Games, demanding a fair selection process for the quadrennial showpiece.

The joint petition filed by Panghal and Kalkal was mentioned before Chief Justice SC Sharma who listed it for hearing on Thursday.

The duo demanded that the directive issued by the IOA ad-hoc committee with regards to the two categories (men’s freestyle 65kg and women’s 53kg) be quashed and the exemption granted to Bajrang and Vinesh be set aside. The trials should be held in a fair manner, without granting any exemption to any wrestler and that the whole process be videographed, they submitted.

The trials will be held on July 22-23. In the categories in which Bajrang Punia (65kg) and Vinesh (53kg) compete, the IOA ad-hoc panel decided to exempt these two wrestlers from trials. As per the ad-hoc panel directive, the trials will be conducted in all 18 weight categories, including the 65kg and 53kg, but the winners will not compete in the Asian Games. Rather, they will be the standby options.

The 19-year-old Panghal, who hails from Hisar, and 21-year-old Sujeet, who trains in Sonepat, questioned the ad-hoc panel’s decision through separate videos. Panghal asked what was special about Vinesh that she got an exemption, exuding confidence that she could beat her in the trials. (With PTI inputs)