Bajrang, Vinesh’s Asian Games trials exemption challenged in Delhi High Court

Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia were the biggest faces of protests against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. PTI image

Wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal have challenged the exemptions granted to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for the Asian Games trials in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. The wrestlers had earlier in the day criticised the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) ad-hoc panel’s decision to give direct entry to Vinesh and Bajrang into Asian Games.

The joint petition of Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal has been listed for hearing on Thursday.

The petition demands that the ad-hoc panel’s directive should be quashed and the exemption granted to Vinesh and Bajrang should be set aside. It also demanded that no exemption should be given to any wrestlers and a fair trial should be held which needs to be videographed.

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The petition has been moved by advocates Hrishikesh Baruah and Akshay Kumar.

“These wrestlers had said during their protest at Jantar Mantar that their fight is for justice and for the cause of junior wrestlers and now they want to sideline the junior wresters, so we had to move court against this decision,” Dayanand Kalkal, father of Sujeet, told news agency PTI.

“Since the beginning of their protest, the intention was to get exemptions from trials, that’s why we never sided with them. People were blind and could not see what their intention was.

“If these celebrity wrestlers beat the upcoming wrestlers and go, no one will complain. It indeed is a matter of pride that our kids get to compete against such accomplished athletes. There must be a fair trial,” he added.

The ad-hoc committee has said that trials will be conducted in all 18 weight categories including in Bajrang’s 65kg and Vinesh’s 53kg weight class but the winners from these categories will not compete in Asian Games. They will be on the standby list.

Bajrang and Vinesh were at the forefront of protests against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been accused of sexual harassment. The protests led to two FIRs against Singh and a chargesheet in the matter has been filed by Delhi Police.

Bajrang and Vinesh are also the only protesting wrestlers to be granted the exemption from Asian Games trials. Other protesting wrestlers like Sakshi Malik, Sakshi’s husband Satyawart Kadiyan, Jitender Kinha and Bajrang’s wife Sangeeta Phogat have not been granted the exemption.

WFI’s rulebook says the Olympic and World Championships medallists can be exempted from trials. Vinesh and Bajrang both won World Championships bronze medals in 2022. Bajrang is also an Olympic bronze medallist.

Earlier in the day, Antim and Sujeet slammed the ad-hoc panel’s decision in separate videos.

Current Under-20 World Champion Antim questioned what is so special with Vinesh that she is being granted the exemption.

“Sakshi Malik has also won an Olympic medal, she too is not being sent. What is so special about Vinesh that she is being sent. Just organise trials. I am not saying that I am the only one who can beat Vinesh. There are several other girls who can beat her.”

Reigning U23 Asian champion Sujeet Kalkal said that there are 5-6 wrestlers who can beat Bajrang.

“I don’t say that only I can beat Bajrang. There are no less than 5-6 wrestlers in our weight category who can beat Bajrang. That’s why all the wrestlers should get equal opportunity and a fair trial should be held,” he said.