Vinesh Phogat clinched a spot in the 50kg weight category for the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier on Monday during the national selection trials at NIS Patiala. Vinesh’s victory in the 50kg category, however, came after her
defeat in the 53kg category
trials on the same day as she competed in two weight divisions in an unprecedented manner.

Moreover, the trials in the two categories were held up for almost three hours as Vinesh, who spearheaded the protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanded competing in trials of two categories and written assurance that a final trial will be held in 53kg weight class before the Olympics.

Remember, Antim Panghal has already secured the 53kg 2024 Paris Olympic quota by winning the bronze medal at the 2023 World Championship. Phogat had competed in the 53kg weight category in Tokyo Olympics.

Despite trials being stalled for hours and other wrestlers complaining, Vinesh was allowed to compete in trials for both categories. In 53kg class, she lost 0-10 by technical superiority to Anju. In the 50kg class, she qualified for Asian Olympic Qualifiers by beating Shivani 11-6.

The Qualifiers will take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from 19 to 21 April.

The three-member ad-hoc committee, which runs the affairs of wrestling in India, after
WFI was suspended by Sports Ministry
said that the favourable decision for Vinesh was taken unanimously.

“We responded to Vinesh’s request to compete in both categories, the entire committee agreed to accommodate her request and allowed her to participate in both,” the ad-hoc committee’s chairman Bhupender Bajwa told news agency PTI.

Vinesh said that it will be honour for her to bring a quota in the 50kg category.

“I was aiming to compete in the 53kg category, (but) considering Antim Panghal has already secured a quota and due to unclear guidelines, I participated in the 50kg category as well. Winning a quota in the 50kg category for India would also be an immense honour for me,” she said.

The problem

Even before the trials, the ad-hoc committee, which has been established by Indian Olympic Association (IOA), had already announced that a final trial will be held closer to the Olympics to select India’s representative in 53kg category. As per the committee, four best wrestlers will compete in trials and the winner will fight Antim to select the final representative.

Despite this declaration, Vinesh sought written assurance from the committee besides the panel making unprecedented concession to allow her to compete in two categories in the trials.

The last part is something that can lead to more trouble for India and Phogat because according to the Article 7 of the United World Wrestling (UWW), a wrestler can only take part in one weight category on a single day.

“Each contestant deemed to be taking part of his/her own free will, and responsible for himself/herself, shall be allowed to compete in only one weight category: the one corresponding to his weight at the time of the official weigh-in,” the UWW rule says.

The Asian Olympic Games Qualifier will be held under the banner of UWW and it will be interesting to see how the world body reacts to Phogat’s entry into the competition.

WFI contacts UWW

The suspended WFI has meanwhile already contacted UWW and informed that they were not in control of the trails and that Phogat was allowed to compete in two categories.

“We have conveyed to the UWW that we did not conduct these trials and ad-hoc panel did it. Also, this has never happened in the history of wrestling that a wrestler has been allowed to compete in two categories on the same day. We have told UWW about this,” a WFI source said.

If UWW takes exception to the matter then Phogat could miss the the Olympic Qualifiers.