The six wrestling protestors have clarified their stance regarding the Asian Games trials after Yogeshwar Dutt claimed that they were being exempted from the trials. Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia in a joint statement shared an undated application to the sports minister stating that they just had asked for additional time and urged the trials to be postponed beyond August 10 while mentioning that the enemies were trying to disrupt their unity.
“It is requested to you that due to their participation in the wrestlers’ protest, the below-mentioned wrestlers need some additional time to prepare for the trials for the Asian Games and the World Championships,” the letter, addressed to the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, read.
The wrestlers mentioned in the said letter were Bajrang Punia (65kg), Sakshi Malik (62kg), her husband Satyawart Kadian (97kg), Sangeeta Phogat (57kg), Jitender Kumar (86kg) and Vinesh Phogat (53kg).
"The protesting wrestlers had only requested to postpone the date of the trials, since due to our participation in the protests for the last six months, we did not get enough time for practice.
“We understand that this is a serious matter, which is why we are sharing this letter with you. The enemy is trying to break the unity among the wrestlers, we cannot let them have success,” Vinesh wrote in Tweet while sharing the above-posted letter.
The Asian Games are set to begin on September 23 and Yogeshwar Dutt, the London Olympic medallist had questioned the logic of exemption provided to the wrestlers but as it turns out, the trials have only been delayed.
Wrestlers end protests after 6 months
A few hours later, the wrestlers shared another point statement announcing that they have decided to call off their protests and take their fight to the courts instead of the streets. Six months after the protests began against the outgoing WFI president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on sexual harassment allegations, the wrestlers have decided to drop the legal battle after Delhi Police filed a chargesheet based on complaints from six women wrestlers.
