UWW extends U-17, 23 Asian Championships entry deadline for India

The continental championships is scheduled to from June 10-18 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

United World Wrestling logo used for representational purpose.(Photo | Official website -https://uww.org/)

CHENNAI: The United World Wrestling (UWW) has extended the deadline to submit entries for the U-17 and U-23 Asian Championships for Indian grapplers. The deadline was May 10 but the UWW extended it to May 17. However, as the ad-hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to run the day-to-day affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is holding trials to select teams from May 17 to 19, the world governing body gave relaxation to the panel and fixed May 22 as the last date for the Indian teams.

"The UWW had already extended the deadline but we needed more time so we requested an extension. The trials will be over on May 19 and we can submit the entries latest by May 22," a source in the know of things told this daily.

The age-group continental championships is scheduled in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from June 10-18. Before the event, a Ranking Series is also scheduled at the place. The Indian wrestlers, who competed in the recently-concluded senior Asian Championships will take part in the event. A short camp is expected to be held from May15-30 and a longer one later after Asian Games selection.

Meanwhile, the ad-hoc panel is mulling resumption of the national camp, which has been suspended due to the ongoing protest by renowned wrestlers against the WFI and its sidelined president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It is learnt that the panel which right now has only one member, Wushu Association of India president Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, discussed the issue during its first meeting on Monday.

"Women wrestlers' camp is expected to organised separately. The men wrestlers, both freestyle and Greco-Roman, are likely to camp in Sonepat while women's camp could be held at IG Stadium in New Delhi. A final decision in this regard will be taken soon," said the source.The panel also postponed the U-15 and U-20 National Championships proposed in Pune later this month. The new dates will be announced soon, read a release issued by the panel.

Asian Games trials

Given the situation, it is unlikely that the WFI could be held before selection of the team for Asian Games. Sources told that the last date to submit final entries is June 30 and in all probability the ad-hoc committee will conduct trials next month. Notably, the WFI had sent the provisional entries in the past which had names of protesting wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat. The only exception in the list was Sakshi Malik, who is also a part of protest at Jantar Mantar.