CHENNAI: United World Wrestling (UWW) deciding to keep the 2020 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia from December 12 to 20, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is planning to conduct trials to select the team for the event.
The final call on the worlds will be taken on November 6. Wrestlers like Bajrang Punia (65kg), Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Ravi Dahiya (57) and Sunil Kumar (87kg, Greco-Roman) will be the automatic selection but according to WFI, in other weight categories trials will be conducted.
Among them will be wrestlers from 74kg in men's freestyle. The weight category has always been in the spotlight for the past couple of years due to presence of two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar. Others in the fray will be Narsingh Yadav, who shares a controversial past with Sushil, Jitender Kinha, and Gaurav Baliyan. The trio is part of the ongoing national camp at SAI centre in Sonepat. Sushil had sought exemption from the camp and is training at Chhatrasal Stadium.
"We will wait till November 6 when UWW's executive committee meets again to take a final decision in this regard. The world body has said that it will decide depending on the participation figures and evolution of the pandemic. If they decide to go ahead with the event, we will seek permission for trials to choose the team," said a WFI source. However, the last date for submission of entries is November 5 and the national federation is expected to send a tentative list of wrestlers to ensure wrestlers participate in all weight categories (10 each in men's freestyle, women's wrestling and Greco-Roman).
"Most of the wrestlers select themselves. There will be changes in a few categories and that will be done in accordance with the trial results," added the source. Presently, wrestlers — both male and female — competing in Olympic weight categories are attending the camps in Sonepat and Lucknow. If the UWW confirms the event, the WFI will also include wrestlers from non-Olympic weight categories in the camp.
"We have enough time to decide on this. Once UWW decides, accordingly we will take a call on participation of wrestlers from non-Olympic weight categories in the camp." The world body, however, has decided to cancel the 2020 Junior World Championships, which was also scheduled in Belgrade in December.