State associations may be allowed to field candidates of their choice
New Delhi: The ad-hoc panel of the IOA is likely to allow the state wrestling associations to field deserving candidates in the Asian Games trials even if they do not meet the criteria of being a medal winners in one of the stipulated tournaments as per the new selection policy for the quadrennial extravaganza.
The Asian Games trials are expected to be held in the third week of June. The final date will be notified this week.
Postponed due to the COVID-19 last year, the Asian Games are set to unfold in the Chinese city of Hangzhou from September 23. The WFI had last year devised a policy which allowed only the medal winners from the National Championships, the national ranking tournaments, Federation Cup and international tournaments, apart from talented juniors, to compete in the trials.
Ad-hoc panel member Bhupendra Singh Bajwa had initially suggested open trials but the coaches and referees advised them to restrict it to medal prospects only, according to IOA sources. “It would have been very difficult to finish the trials in the stipulated time if open trials were conducted. It was proposed that if any state association feels it has a worthy candidate who does not meet the criteria of being a medallist, it can field such candidate in the Asian Games trials,” the source told PTI. “A final decision will be taken soon. The trials are expected to be held around June 20. A final date will be announced in a day or two,” the source added.
WFI has 25 state units affiliated to it. If all the state associations field candidates of their choice in each of the 10 categories in all three styles, the number of participants will rise considerably. Bajwa, several wrestling coaches, referees and SAI officials attended the meeting on Monday.
It was the second such meeting meeting after the IOA formed the panel to manage day-to-day affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Bajwa had held the first round of discussions with the relevant people in Meerut.
Protesting wrestlers will not be stopped from competing
Elite wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who are staging a sit-in protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, will not be stopped from competing in the trials.
