New Delhi: Amid an ongoing dispute over trials for the Asian Games, wrestler Vinesh Phogat has made a letter written by a group of protesting wrestlers to the sports ministry public. They were requesting an extension of the trial dates.
The letter, which does not mention a specific date, was shared by Vinesh on social media on Sunday. It highlights the wrestlers' need for additional time for training before the trials. A group of wrestlers has been engaged in a protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing president of the Wrestling Federation of India, since the beginning of the year, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Earlier, the ad-hoc panel of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) exempted the protesting wrestlers from participating in the trials, a decision that faced criticism from coaches and parents of other wrestlers, including Yogeshwar Dutt. Additionally, the ad-hoc panel requested the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to extend the deadline for submission of entries by one month, extending it from July 15.
The letter is addressed to sports minister Anurag Thakur. It states, "It is requested to you that due to their participation in the wrestlers' protest, the below-mentioned wrestlers need some additional time to prepare for the trials for the Asian Games and the World Championships." The letter specifically mentions six wrestlers who are requesting the extension: Bajrang Punia (65kg), Sakshi Malik (62kg), Satyawart Kadian (97kg), Sangeeta Phogat (57kg), Jitender Kumar (86kg), and Vinesh Phogat (53kg) herself.
The letter concludes by requesting that the trials for these wrestlers be held after August 10, 2023.
Vinesh shared the letter on her Twitter page, emphasising the wrestlers' need for more time to practise due to their involvement in the protests over the past six months. "We understand that this is a serious matter, which is why we are sharing this letter with you. The enemy is trying to break the unity among the wrestlers; we cannot let them have success," said the letter.