No direct entry, says Sakshi Malik on exemption given to Vinesh, Bajrang

WASHINGTON: Criticising exemption granted to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for Asian games trials, Olympics wrestler Sakshi Malik on Thursday said no one should be given direct entry.

"I am against this move of sending names directly because I don't want that the right of any player is taken away," Sakshi Malik told ANI.

This comes after Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia were given direct entries for the Hangzhou Asian Games by the Indian Olympic Association’s ad-hoc committee on Tuesday while other wrestlers will have to book their places in the Indian squad through selection trials on July 22 and 23.

"I am totally against" the direct selection of Vinesh and Bajrang for the Asian Games as it would "spark a fight between the wrestlers," the Olympics wrestler said. She also mentioned that they had asked the ad hoc committee for more time to train but not demanded direct selection for Asian Games.

"We had demanded time from the ad hoc committee so that our trials are conducted after August 10 because we were unable to train. Accordingly, they sent a letter giving us time. This is the reason we came out for the training. However, I got a call from the govt saying that they are forwarding the name of both of them (Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat) directly for the Asian Games and asked me to send a mail so that my name could also be forwarded. I refused as I did not want a direct entry. I haven't been to any tournament without the trials neither will I ever do so in future," said wrestler Sakshi Malik in a Zoom call.

However, Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik didn't receive an exemption because she is not a TOPS athlete and thus she has to appear for trials.

Meanwhile, wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal on Wednesday moved Delhi High Court over the exemption given to wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)'s ad-hoc committee. According to sources, there is a rule in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) that if there is any situation where Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) athletes (world champions and Olympic medalists) need an exemption they can receive it.

Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat along with other wrestlers had been on a protest in the national capital earlier this year to press for the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in connection with the FIR against Brij Bhushan on the complaint of protesting wrestlers.