Ad-hoc Committee ‘acknowledges’ Concerns Raised By Young Wrestlers; U-15, U-20 Nationals In Feb In Gwalior

The Asian Olympic Qualifiers: The Ad-hoc Committee for Wrestling, set up by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on December 27, 2023, is planning to organise the national championships for the U-15 and U-20 categories within the next 6 weeks at LNIPE, Gwalior.

"Scheduling the conduct of the senior national championships in February 2024. Organization of national camps for senior wrestlers at SAI NRC Sonepat for men and SAI NSNIS Patiala for women, for preparation for the Olympic Qualifying tournaments and the Senior Asian Championships,” the Committee stated.

"The Asian Olympic Qualifiers are scheduled to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from April 19-21, 2024, while the World Olympic Qualifiers are set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 9-12.”

The Committee acknowledged the concerns raised by the young wrestlers and "is committed to address the issues".

"Through its comprehensive and targeted efforts, the Ad Hoc Committee reaffirms its full commitment to the growth and development of wrestling in India, fostering a culture of excellence and perseverance.

"Once again, the Committee reassures the young wrestlers that the U-15, U-20 national championships will be held in February, 2024, at LNIPE, Gwalior, for which the details will be announced soon. The young wrestlers are advised to continue training and practicing for these events," it said.

Earlier, on Wednesday, young Indian wrestlers staged a protest against seniors Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik on Wednesday here at the Jantar Mantar.

The agitated grapplers demanded action against the trio "for hampering the progress of wrestling in India".

For the record, the wrestlers didn't get a chance to play any national in 2023 because of the protest led by Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh levelling serious allegations of sexual harassment against him.

On Wednesday, a number of young wrestlers gathered at the Jantar Mantar, demanding action and also United World Wrestling (UWW) intervention into the ongoing WFI tussle.