New Delhi: Outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment claims by women grapplers, said on Wednesday that the decision to remove Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat from the Asian Games trials was "unfortunate" and will affect wrestling in India.
On Tuesday, IOA's ad hoc tribunal gave direct admission to the Asian Games to protest leaders Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat.
Junior wrestlers, led by Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal, who were among the hardest hit, have also criticised the panel and taken it to court, asking for equal treatment in all weight classes.
Singh, who is also an MP for the BJP, claimed that they had stopped offering special treatment to wrestlers because they saw how much it was affecting the younger competitors.
Since the ad hoc panel made this ruling, I have been in a lot of pain. It will have a negative impact on wrestling in the United States. This sport has been elevated by the efforts of many people. Singh told PTI in an exclusive interview, "The athletes, their parents, and the fans of the sport have all worked hard."
Wrestling is now often regarded as a surefire path to an Olympic medal. It's sad that these wrestlers have decided to participate in the Asian Games. Singh, who is free on bail but cannot run in the forthcoming WFI elections due to the Sports Code's restrictions, believes the six wrestlers' protest was politically motivated.
When this uprising first started in January, I remember wondering, "Why?" I had read a poem on social media back then," he continued, reciting the poem to emphasise his point that he had sided with the underclassmen and thus invited difficulties for himself.
To voice their displeasure with the ad hoc panel's decision, Panghal, along with several other wrestlers, their families, and elders, took to the streets of Hisar. Things are finally making sense to me, therefore I'm revisiting this poetry in my memory. When reminded that the WFI had exempted Vinesh, Bajrang, and others from trials for the 2018 Asian Games, and that the same wrestlers had been allowed straight semifinal entries during the 2022 CWG trials, he agreed that it had been a mistake.
Although they were guaranteed spots in the semifinals, we did not send these wrestlers immediately to the Commonwealth Games. The Executive Committee deliberated the matter, consulted the coaches, researched the regulations of other countries, and finally, at the General Body Meeting, the new rules were passed that stipulated no such exemptions would be granted to any wrestler under any circumstances. This regulation was not imposed upon us from on high by me. After much debate, a conclusion was reached. On August 25 of last year, at the WFI's General Body Meeting in Rohtak, India, the resolution was approved.
When asked for his thoughts on the inclusion of technical specialists Gian Singh and Ashok Garg on the IOA ad hoc panel, Singh remained silent.
I'd like you to put this matter to rest at this time. It's unclear how well-versed in modern wrestling these coaches are. Although he no longer does interviews with the press, he felt compelled to address the exemption granted to wrestlers today.—Inputs from Agencies