NEW DELHI: Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat had last represented India at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade in September 2022. In the corresponding 10 months, they didn't go to the competition arena even once. They were busy with their protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Surprisingly, both wrestlers were granted 'exemption' from trials for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou by the ad-hoc panel appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The chief national coaches - who were part of the committee - were not even taken into confidence.