Vinesh and Bajrang, two wrestlers, why won't they participate in the trials for the Asian Games in 2023?
At the Worlds in Belgrade and the Olympics in Tokyo, Bajrang took home the bronze medal, with Vinesh placing third.
After staging a protest to seek the resignation of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who won medals at the World Championships, were excused from the Asian Games 2023 trials.
The IOA ad-hoc panel said in a circular that although trials will be held in each of the three styles in all six weight categories, it has already selected wrestlers for the men's and women's freestyle 65kg and 53kg events.
Bajrang and Vinesh were exempted from the trials, according to Ashok Garg, a panel member, despite the fact that the ad-hoc panel did not expressly identify them in the circular.
Garg said, "Yes, Bajrang and Vinesh have been exempt from trials."
The two wrestlers' opponents in the men's and women's freestyle 53kg and 65kg weight divisions, respectively, have taken issue with the ad hoc panel's decision to exclude the two athletes.
And if media stories are to be believed, the enraged wrestlers may file a legal complaint to contest the panel's judgment.
"Yes, the court will be changed. Why should our kids suffer as a result of the biased recommendations of the ad hoc panel? All we want is a fair trial, said the wrestler's father to PTI.
Vines and Bajrang participated in the Asian Games 2023 trials against Jaskaran Singh, the current Under-23 and Under-20 Asian champion (men's 65 kg), Antim Panghal, the first Under-20 world champion of India (women's 53 kg), and Bajrang.
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