'One-bout selection for Bajrang, Vinesh unfair'

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

- FIROZ MIRZA

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 spark was 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.