No hard feelings: Vinesh Phogat

PTI

New Delhi, July 24

Facing the wrestling fraternity’s wrath for accepting exemption from the Asian Games trials, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia today said they are hurt that young wrestlers dragged them to court but are at the same time delighted to see the junior grapplers starting to fight for their rights.

The IOA ad hoc panel conducted trials in all 18 categories for the Hangzhou Games but decided to give direct entries to Bajrang (65kg) and Vinesh (53kg), triggering angry reactions from many in the wrestling fraternity.

Junior wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal approached the Delhi High Court, appealing that the exemption be set aside, but their petition was dismissed.

Both Bajrang and Vinesh, who are abroad at different locations for training, came live on social media to respond to the allegations and recent developments.

“We are not against the trials. I can’t blame Antim. She is not wrong. She is fighting for her right and we are fighting for our right. She is too young, she does not understand. But we are not wrong,” Vinesh said.

“We fought against the system, against the powerful. We took blows on our heads, no one came forward (then). She says she was cheated, but did I cheat (during the Commonwealth Games trials)? If at all it was done, it was done by Brij Bhushan (Sharan Singh), or he got it done. My job was to wrestle, and I did that,” she added.

“If she felt cheated then she should have gone to court at that time. It hurts. But I am glad the kids have started speaking, they are gathering courage now. It’s positive for wrestling,” added the two-time World Championship medallist.

Bajrang said they wanted to speak on the issue only after the trials and the Delhi High Court decision on the petition.

“It was said that there are three-four wrestlers who can beat Vinesh, but dear Antim, Vinesh has not lost (as yet), and will not lose,” Bajrang said. “Antim, you said you became the first Indian to win U-20 World Championship title but Vinesh is also the only woman wrestler to have won two World Championship medals,” he added.

Vinesh said they do not fear trials. “We have given 20 years to wrestling. She says I have not practised but I was at the protest site. We are still hungry. We put everything at stake when we were at the peak of our career,” Vinesh said.

“The effort they have put in trying to get us to trials, if that much they had done at the dharna, Brij Bhushan would not have been outside today and all of us would have been wrestling. We did not run away from the trials, we just wanted enough time to train. Take the trials, we have not run away from the country. Someone wins and someone loses but can’t we be given even one month to train,” she said.

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