No wrestling trials before Olympics, quota winners to go to Paris bar injury

In its latest flip-flop in pursuit of stability, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) declared that there will be no trials to choose India’s representatives for the 2024 Olympics.

The WFI insisted this was a one-off exemption and should not be considered a precedent for the future.

However, all the Paris-bound grapplers will be monitored for fitness at a Ranking Series tournament in June, and at a training camp thereafter. The WFI kept doors open for last-minute drama adding a rider that any wrestler found wanting in fitness could be replaced through trials before July 8, the last date for submitting entries. This was necessitated as 53kg hope Antim Panghal has not competed at any event in the last 18 months and her fitness remains uncertain, though the federation did not name any wrestler.

The six quota winners – 5 in women and 1 in men – will head to Paris without having to undergo another round of selections, it was announced after the executive body meeting on Tuesday. This effectively means Vinesh Phogat will contest in the 50kg division, Antim Panghal will line up in 53kg and Tokyo silver medallist Ravi Dahiya will not get a shot at a second medal, with Aman Sehrawat scheduled to compete in men’s 57 kg. Anshu Malik (57kg), Nisha Dahiya (68kg) and Reetika Hooda (76kg) are the other quota winners, expected to travel to Paris.

Head coach Virender Dahiya and men’s freestyle head coach Jagmander Singh were consulted ahead of the selection committee meeting.

PTI reported that the no-trials decision wouldn’t necessarily be a precedent. “It was unanimously decided by the selection committee that all the quota-earning wrestlers have been exempted from the selection trials for 2024 Paris Olympic Games only as a one-time exception in current peculiar circumstances, but this decision will not be applicable for any other future selection criteria for which the WFI Regulations for Selection of Wrestlers for participation in the National Coaching Camp/International Competitions should be followed,” it quoted the minutes of the meeting.

In established wrestling nations with prolific medal counts – from USA to Japan, Iran to Russia – trials are held to choose the in-form wrestler after quotas are secured. The Wrestling Federation of India, which had never warmed up to that system and followed the practice of sending quota winners till Tokyo, had announced in 2021 that trials would be held to pick the 2024 squad.

Vinesh had recently asked for clarity on the schedule for trials while the WFI said it had received requests from other quota winners to not hold trials.

“We discussed the issue and both chief coaches were also of the view that trials could lead to injuries and impact India’s medal chances. So we have decided not to hold trials,” WFI president Sanjay Singh was reported as saying by PTI, after the meeting.

The wrestlers will be kept on their toes though at the Budapest Ranking Series from June 6-9. Singh added, “We have to ensure that no wrestler carries any injury into the Olympics. So, instead of trials, the Indian coaches will assess the quota winners at the Ranking Series event and at the following training camp in Budapest. If the coaches find that someone is not fit, we may then look for a replacement in that particular category. We will hold a selection trial before July 8 in that weight class.”

The decision to not conduct trials will leave a bunch of wrestlers dismayed after four top finishers were informed in each category to stay prepared for a possible ultimate trial, after the Sonepat and Patiala qualifiers in March. Those likely to feel aggrieved are Sarita Mor in 57kg and Tokyo medallist Ravi Dahiya in men’s 57kg. However, the quota-earners had argued that there was very little time left for the Olympics, with challenges of making weight twice, and fear of injury looming. They would rather enter preparation mode and test themselves at international invitationals.

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