Anshu Malik backs junior wrestlers, says fair trials is their right
Another talented Indian wrestler Anshu Malik, who had shown support to the protesting wrestlers back in January, has come out in support of the junior counterparts after Vinesh and Bajrang Punia were exempted from the Asian Games trials by the ad-hoc committee on Tuesday.
âAn athleteâs biggest dream is to play for the country in the Olympics and Asian Games by winning medals and making the countrymen proud. But what if the rights of those players are killed?â she wrote on Twitter. âThe demand for selection trials (for the Asian Games) by junior players is absolutely correct, and it is their right. I support the demand of the junior wrestlers.â
Anshu is one of the most talented women wrestlers in the country and had even won a silver medal in the 2021 World Championship, becoming the first in the category to do so. Moreover, Anshu is not the only one protesting this decision by the ad-hoc panel.Â
The entire controversy broke out when Vinesh (53kg) and Bajrang (65kg) were exempted from the selection trials for the 2022 Asian Games. Antim Panghal, a silver medallist from the senior Asian Championship fights in the same category as Vinesh, and had raised questions about this exemption.Â
âEven in the Commonwealth Games trial, I had a 3-3 bout with her. Then, too, I was cheated. I said, âkoi nahin (itâs okay), I will try to qualify for the Olympics by going to the (Hangzhou) Asian Gamesâ. But now they are saying they will send Vinesh. This is not done,â said Panghal in a video circulated on social media.
Not just that, now Panghal and Ranking Series gold medallist Sujeet Kalkal moved the Delhi High Court demanding fair trials.