Asian Games: Relief for Vinesh-Bajrang from Delhi High Court, exemption will remain in Asian Games trial

The Delhi High Court has upheld the exemption granted to country’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia from trials for the Asian Games. The petition challenging this decision was heard on Saturday. Vinesh and Bajrang have got relief from the court. Vinesh and Bajrang were petitioned by under-20 world champion Anand Panghal and under-23 Asian champion Sujit Kalkal against direct entry. On hearing this petition, the court, while giving its verdict, said that it refused to interfere in the exemption.

Phogat (53kg) and Punia (65kg) were on Tuesday given direct entry for the Asian Games by the ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), while other wrestlers will have to go through selection trials on July 22 and 23 to confirm their place in the Indian team. Panghal and Kalkal had challenged the exemption and demanded a fair selection process. The petition, filed by advocate Hrishikesh Baruah, has sought that the direction issued by the IOA ad-hoc committee in respect of two categories (men’s freestyle 65kg and women’s 53kg) be set aside and the exemption granted to Phogat and Punia be revoked.

Trial will be held in closed doors
The trials for the Asian Games on Saturday and Sunday will be held behind closed doors. Parents, supporters of any wrestler will not be allowed to go during the trial. Only one coach and masseur of the wrestler will be allowed to accompany. This happened after the members of the ad hoc committee clashed with the relatives of the wrestlers on Friday. Trials will be held in Greco-Roman and women’s section on Saturday.