Delhi HC Refuses to Interfere With Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia Asian Games Trials Exemption

The Delhi High Court refused to interfere with the exemption granted to Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner, Vinesh Phogat from the trials for the Asian Games on Saturday.

The petition by Under-20 World Champion Antim Panghal and Under-23 Asian Champion Sujeet Kalkal against the direct entry allowed to Phogat and Punia to participate in the tournament was dismissed by Justice Subramonium Prasad, who presided over the hearing.

“Writ petition is dismissed,” the judge said.

Phogat and Punia were given direct entry for the Asian Games by the Indian Olympic Association’s ad-hoc committee on Tuesday, while other wrestlers will have to earn their places in the Indian squad through selection trials on July 22 and 23.

Panghal and Kalkal moved the high court on July 19 challenging the exemption and demanding a fair selection process for the quadrennial showpiece event.

It was reported that the general feeling pertaining to the move to hand exemptions to Phogat, in the 53kg, category, and Punia, in the 65kg category was not one that was accepted ubiquitously in the wrestling circles. The young wrestlers sought their concerns to be heard.

The petition, moved by advocates Hrishikesh Baruah and Akshay Kumar, had demanded that the directive issued by the IOA ad-hoc committee with regard to the two categories (men’s freestyle 65kg and women’s 53kg) be quashed and the exemption granted to Phogat and Punia set aside.

Phogat and Punia were among the top wrestlers of the nation who spearheaded the protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over the sexual harassment of multiple female wrestlers.

The agitation was started by a number of the nation’s top wrestlers early in the year before being halted as discussions with the officials from the government were held in order to find an amicable solution.

However, the wrestlers resumed their protest when police officer refused to file a complaint against the 66-year-old Brij Bhushan and the court had to intervene and instruct the police to file the FIRs. Brij Bhushan was recently granted general bail.