Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, February 24

In its first order of business after the United World Wrestling (UWW) lifted the suspension, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rolled out the dates to hold selection trials for the Asian Championships as well as the Asian Olympics qualifiers, both of which are to be held in Kyrgyzstan in April.

As per the plan, a two-day trial will be held in New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Stadium on March 10-11 to select the team for both the Bishkek events. While the Asian Championships will be held from April 11 to 16, the Olympics qualifiers are slated for April 19 to 21.

As announced by WFI president Sanjay Singh, all the protesting wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat have been asked to take part in the trials.

“They will get formal mail by Monday. We are doing all that is required by the UWW. We have already sent a written undertaking that the protesting wrestlers will not be targeted. We will shortly hold the election for the Athletes’ Commission,” Singh told The Tribune today.

The WFI president further said the election will be held in March, which could coincide with the Federation Cup for senior wrestlers.

Sakshi targets govt

Meanwhile, Sakshi has once again targeted the government over the cancellation of the Under-15 and U-20 Nationals by the ad hoc committee. “The cancellation of U-15 and U-20 Nationals twice shows that the future of wrestling is still murky. The struggle made by all of us last year to save wrestling and the sacrifice made by me seems meaningless now. I am becoming mentally sad and weak,” she wrote on X.