Wrestling
Bajrang and Deepak Punia pull out of World Wrestling Championships
Bajrang and Deepak have submitted proposals for training abroad and stated that the schedule of the selection trials for the World Championships is clashing with their training camps abroad.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia react during his bout at an event.
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Deepak pulled out of the World Wrestling Championships 2023 in Belgrade, a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
A 65kg weight category wrestler Bajrang, who won four World Championships medals, had been the face of the wrestlers' protest against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Bajrang has recently been given direct entry into the Asian Games.
Deepak is the Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 86kg category.
According to a Times of India report, both wrestlers have submitted proposals for training abroad and stated that the schedule of the selection trials for the World Championships is clashing with their training camps abroad.
The trials for the Worlds will take place in NIS Patiala on August 25-26, and it will be conducted by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)-appointed ad-hoc committee, which is currently in charge of WFI.
The World Championships are scheduled for September 16-24.
However, Sports Authority of India and Mission Olympic Cell are not happy with the timing of the proposals and sought reasons from the duo for giving the World Championships a miss.
SAI received Tokyo Olympic medallist Bajrang's proposal on Thursday, requesting a 39-day international training camp (August 21-September 28) in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, to prepare for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Likewise, Deepak sent his proposal for a 35-day training camp in Russia's Khasavyurt, starting on August 23 and ending on September 28.
"Apart from ‘fit-to-play’ certificate before heading for the said camp, you are requested to submit reason for not participating in senior World Championships trials because as per the dates mentioned by the ad-hoc committee for WFI, the senior Worlds trials for the freestyle category is on 26th August 2023, coinciding with the dates of your participation in the training camp. You are requested to please provide a reason for your potential absence from the WC trials,” SAI stated in its show cause notice.
