‘One-bout selection for Bajrang, Vinesh unfair’

Antim and Sujeet’s coaches respect elite wrestlers but feel two-stage selection trials do not provide a level playing field; one of them plans to meet IOA’s ad-hoc panel to lodge their protest

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia.

CHENNAI: In an extraordinary move, wrestlers, their parents and coaches have come out in the open and spoken up against the alleged biases in the selection trials being held to pick up the national team for reputed tournaments. The two-stage Asian Games selection trials proposed by the ad-hoc committee to accommodate protesting wrestlers seem to have infuriated others as they plan to protest against the move by approaching the panel and registering their complaints. They felt this would put them under more pressure to perform. Moreover, the coaches felt the wrestlers will have to wait till August to know whether they would be part of the India team.

As reported by this daily a few days ago, the ad-hoc committee has decided to give six wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Satyawart Kadian and Jitender Kinha — a chance to qualify for Asian Games as well as World Championships by competing in just one bout against the winners of the selection trials in their respective weight categories.

As per the proposal, others have to win trials in their respective weight categories before taking on these wrestlers, who had protested against the sidelined Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in August.

“This is unfair. The same was the case in the past and now the panel, which was formed with the objective to remove such flaws, is following the same practice,” Vikas Bhardwaj, Antim Panghal’s childhood coach from Baba Lal Das Kushti Academy, Hisar, told this daily. Antim, India’s first-ever U-20 world champion, competes in 53kg, the weight category two-time Olympian Vinesh has made her own with her consistent show over the years.

And her coach is not the only one to raise his voice against the trials that may give undue advantage to the elite wrestlers. Dayanand Kalkar, father and coach of Sujeet, who is the 2022 national champion in 65kg, is also not pleased with the decision. It’s the same weight category wherein Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist and multiple medallist at the Worlds Bajrang competes. “If the ad-hoc panel wants to continue the malpractice then give Sujeet a bye as well since he is also the reigning national champion in 65kg,” Dayanand told this daily. Sujeet last year won U-20 Worlds bronze apart from winning gold in the Tunisia Ranking Series.

Apart from being the closest rivals of Vinesh and Bajrang in the country, both Antim and Sujeet are termed as India’s future. They had already faced off against the experienced duo in the past with Antim losing to Vinesh twice including the 2022 Commonwealth Games selection trials. Sujeet had competed against Bajrang once in the CWG trials closely losing the bout.

“During the CWG trials as well Bajrang was given direct entry into the semifinals. Sujeet had to win three bouts before competing against a relatively fresh Bajrang. We are not afraid and ready to take on Bajrang once again but by doing this (one bout for selection) the panel is not setting the right precedent. We will speak to the panel and lodge a complaint if needed,” added Dayanand.

Antim’s coach Vikas explained how such privileges given to senior wrestlers can affect upcoming grapplers both physically and mentally. “Antim will first have to overcome challenges from other wrestlers in the first trials. She will have to maintain her weight before the first trials. If she wins there, she has to do the same before the trials against Vinesh later. It can affect her physically as there wouldn’t be a big gap between the two trials. Besides, even if she wins the first trial, she will be under tremendous pressure as she knows she has to win another trial more than a month later against two-time Worlds medallist Vinesh.”

Antim and Sujeet have been training at their respective centres despite the ongoing turmoil in Indian wrestling ever since the protest began against Brij Bhushan in January. Given the hard work they have been putting in for months now, the coaches’ only demand is a level playing field. “Let the best wrestler win but for that to happen, you need to be fair to everyone irrespective of reputation and past laurels,” the coaches signed off.