Bajrang Punia to train in Issyk-Kul; Vinesh Phogat in Bishkek & Budapest ahead of trials for Asian Games, Worlds | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, the two leading faces of protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, have decided to focus on their respective playing careers keeping the upcoming selection trials for the Asian Games and World Championships in mind.
The realisation has dawned upon them that their legal battle to get the former WFI chief arrested over charges of sexual harassment was expected to last longer than usual.
TOI has reliably learnt that both Bajrang and Vinesh approached the Sports Authority of India (SAI) earlier this week with a proposal to train in foreign locations to prepare for the trials for the Asiad in Hangzhou and Worlds in Belgrade, which will be conducted by the Indian Olympic Association-run (IOA) ad-hoc committee tentatively between August 5 and 15.
The Asiad is scheduled from September 23 to October 8, while the Belgrade Worlds – a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics 2024 – will run from September 16 to 24.
According to sources, Vinesh directly submitted a proposal with the SAI’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) division to attend international training camps in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek from July 2 to 10 and in Hungary’s Budapest from July 10 to 28.
During her Budapest stint, the two-time World Championships medallist is expected to compete for the first time since the Birmingham CWG in July-August last year at the 4th international ranking series event there, scheduled from July 13 to 16.
The first proposal to train in Bishkek was received from her on June 26, while the other to attend a camp in Budapest on June 28. Within a couple of days of receiving the two proposals, the TOPS on Thursday approved and sanctioned her trips.
It’s been learnt that Vinesh will be accompanied by her physiotherapist Ashwini Jeevan Patil, sparring partner Sangeeta Phogat and coach Sudesh. Patil will travel with her at no cost to the government.
In the case of Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang, he will be travelling on a 36-day training-cum-competition trip to Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul from July 1 to August 5, along with coach Sujeet Maan, physiotherapist Anuj Gupta, sparring partner Jitender Kinha and strength and conditioning expert Kaazi Kiron Mustafa Hasan.
Bajrang’s proposal was received by the TOPS on June 28 and it was cleared on Thursday. Gupta and Hasan will travel at no cost to the government.
As against some media reports, TOI can also confirm that the sports ministry, SAI and the ad-hoc committee never received any proposals from the protesting wrestlers, including Bajrang and Vinesh, to train in USA’s Michigan.
In the case of Sakshee Malikkh, who is not part of the TOPS, her proposal to train abroad – as and when received –will be cleared through funds allocated to the wrestling federation as part of its Annual Calendar for Training and Competition. Sakshee hasn’t so far sent any proposal to train either in Michigan or in any other country to the ministry.
The wrestlers have been out of practice for months. Some haven’t competed since the Worlds in September last year while some competed internationally as far back as Birmingham CWG in August.