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Sports - General Knowledge Questions
Which wrestler has been exempted from the trials for the Asian Games by the Indian Olympic Association?
A)
Bajrang Punia
B)
Vijay Kumar
C)
Ravi Dahiya
D)
Yogeshwar Dutt

Correct Answer :   Bajrang Punia

Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat  had last represented India at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade in September 2022. In the corresponding 10 months, they didn't go to the competition arena even once. They were busy with their protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Surprisingly, both wrestlers were granted 'exemption' from trials for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou by the ad-hoc panel appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The chief national coaches - who were part of the committee - were not even taken into confidence.

Bajrang and Vinesh's direct entry for the Asiad, without going through the rigours of trials, has infuriated their competitors in their respective weight categories - men's freestyle 65kg and women's freestyle 53kg. It's been learnt that the country's first U-20 world champion Antim Panghal (women's 53kg), current U-23 and U-20 Asian champion Sujeet Kalkal and up and coming Jaskaran Singh (both men's 65kg) have decided to move court to challenge the ad-hoc committee's decision.

The trials will be held in New Delhi on July 22 and 23. Greco-roman and women's category bouts will be on the first day and men's freestyle event the next day.

In its directive for the trials issued on Tuesday evening, ad-hoc committee member Bhupinder Singh Bajwa stated: "As per the WFI regulations of selection trials, the selection committee has already selected wrestlers in the 65kg (freestyle) and 53kg (women wrestling) for the Asian Games 2022. But the trial will be held for these weight categories and the selected wrestlers will be kept on stand-by."

While the committee didn't mention the names of wrestlers exempted, multiple sources confirmed that they were Bajrang and Vinesh.

According to WFI's selection policy, which was in effect before the federation was dissolved by the sports ministry in the wake of the sexual harassment charges against Singh, 'iconic players' were eligible for exemption from trials. The ad-hoc committee applied the same rule in the case of Bajrang and Vinesh.

"The selection trials in all weight categories are mandatory. However, the selection committee will have the discretion to select the iconic players like medallists of Olympic/World Championship without trials provided recommendation by chief coach/foreign expert."

While Bajrang secured a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics as well as Belgrade's Worlds,  finished on the podium at the same Worlds.

However, going by the criteria which was in place earlier or as has been laid down by the ad-hoc committee, Tokyo Games silver medallist Ravi Dahiya (men's freestyle 57kg), too, deserved an exemption..

Source : Times of India

Published On : July 19, 2023
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