CHENNAI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has come out with a statement a day after its ad-hoc panel, responsible for managing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), released selection criteria for trials on July 22-23. The selection criteria that gave direct entry to Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat drew flak from the entire wrestling fraternity. The good thing is that the IOA is issuing statements.
The committee has been functioning in a bizarre manner and has been taking decisions without the knowledge of the IOA executive committee and sometimes even its top officials. The reasons for giving exemptions to Bajrang and Vinesh were not known. Whether the wrestlers sought such an exemption is not clear but as of now they have not said anything about accepting or rejecting the offer.
The New Indian Express too has been highlighting the lack of clarity on the ad-hoc panel's part on quite a few matters including selection trials. The IOA, however, released a statement saying their endeavour was to give ‘fair’ opportunities to all wrestlers. And even though the two wrestlers were given direct entry to the Asian Games, their position will be clear closer to the Games. Interestingly, the IOA felt that they can name reserve players who could be accommodated later before the Games.
“The selection process for wrestlers… is designed to be fair, transparent and in accordance with the guidelines set by the International Federation…” said the statement which claimed that the selection committee was composed of experienced persons and experts. Interestingly, the two experts on the ad-hoc panel were in the dark before the release of the criteria.
"To maximize the chances of sending the most competitive wrestling team to the Asian Games, the final assessment of the wrestling team will be made prior to departure of the team for the competition. This approach will enable us to assess the athletes' current form, consider their recent performances and take into account any last-minute developments that may have impacted the selection process," the release stated.
This also indicates that the ad-hoc panel will continue taking care of the day-to-day affairs of WFI. The Supreme Court's two-judge bench has already stayed the Gauhati High Court order that stayed the WFI election process on June 26, a Sunday. Though it is not sure whether Bajrang and Vinesh will appear in a fresh trial and if so against whom, one thing is clear; there will be some kind of assessment. Again, if the names of Bajrang and Vinesh are sent, then it will be extremely difficult to change them before the Games.
The statement also indicated that any team that doesn’t adhere to the sports ministry directive will not be entertained. The statement emphasised on team events and said that “In team events, the focus will be on selecting sports that have achieved a top 8 ranking in Asia in the last one year preceding the Asian Games…”
Football team in a bind?
The Indian football team that doesn’t meet the selection criteria of the sports ministry seemed to be the one affected. It is understood that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its president, who is the joint secretary and acting chief executive officer of the IOA, were trying to get the official nod from the sports ministry. Even the men’s national team coach, Igor Stimac, appealed to the Prime Minister on social media to allow them to travel to China.
The IOA had been reluctant to make way for the football team, which is nowhere near the top 8 in Asia (per world rankings, they are 18th in Asia). The IOA felt that if they make concessions for football (they are willing to go at no-cost-to government), there will be other teams who will demand the same.
IOA president PT Usha said "We believe in nurturing a process of excellence and fairplay in Indian sports...By aligning our selection criteria with the government of India's guidelines, we aim to showcase a contingent that embodies the true spirit of sportsmanship and dedication."