‘Other federations did it in December-January,' Vinesh Phogat urges WFI to announce Olympic trials format promptly

India has secured six quotas for Paris Olympics in wrestling.

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has called upon the Sports Ministry, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to urgently announce the schedule and format for the trials ahead of the Paris Olympics starting on July 26th.

In an open letter posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Phogat, who secured a quota in the 50kg women’s category at last month’s continental qualifiers in Bishkek, highlighted the need for transparency and a well-defined selection process with less than three months remaining until the Games.

@ianuragthakur @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @WeAreTeamIndia @OlympicKhel 🙏 pic.twitter.com/BvRVu6U2tn

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) May 15, 2024

“Despite being just under three months away from Paris Olympics, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has yet to announce the official trials format, including the date, time and venue,” Phogat wrote. “It is to be noted that all federations have announced the qualification pathway and clear format way back in December 2023 or latest in January 2024.”

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The Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medalist emphasized the importance of providing athletes with clarity at this crucial juncture to maximize their chances of success. As per norms, Phogat will have to go through trials before the final Olympic squad is announced, despite having already secured a quota place.

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“I request Sports Ministry, Sports Authority of India, IOA, Wrestling Federation of India to prioritize this matter and promptly announce the dates, time, venue and exact format of the trials officially,” Phogat stated. “Our athletes have worked tirelessly to earn their quotas and they deserve assurance and support of a transparent and well-defined selection process.”

If selected, the Paris Olympics will be Phogat’s third appearance at the prestigious event. The 28-year-old believes that a clear schedule will aid the Indian contingent’s medal prospects, with five women and one male wrestler having already secured quota places.

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