Delhi: On Saturday, the protesting wrestlers retaliated against those who questioned their exemption from the ongoing Asian Games and World Championship trials. They challenged that if it was shown that they had requested such a favor from the Indian Olympics Association, they would give up wrestling.

Sakshi Malik, one of the leaders of the wrestlers' uprising against Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Singh, whom they accuse of sexually abusing seven women wrestlers, including a minor, said, "We did not ask for an exemption from trials; we just asked for time to prepare."

Bajrang, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, stated that they would give up wrestling if it came to light that they had requested a one-bout trial for the Asian Games and World Championships. "If you had concerns about the one-trial bout, you should have spoken with the minister of sports and inquired about the methodology used for the trials. But you went on social media and disseminated poison," he remarked.

War of Words

Yogeshwar Dutt, who won bronze at the London Olympics, questioned the IOA ad hoc panel's choice to exempt six of the protesting wrestlers on Friday and inquired as to whether they were agitating against the outgoing WFI president in order to obtain such favors.

He pushed them, as well as their coaches and families, to speak out against it, calling it an injustice to other wrestlers, particularly junior wrestlers.

In response to the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) ad-hoc committee's decision to institute one-bout trials for the protesting wrestlers, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Yogeshwar Dutt have exchanged verbal blows.

After Dutt responded negatively to the news by criticizing the committee's choice, Vinesh Phogat responded by accusing Dutt of "eating leftovers from the WFI chief's plate."

Olympic medalist Dutt challenged the plan to hold special case' single-bout trials for the wrestlers protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on June 23, in advance of the 2018 Asian Games and World Championships.

In his video, Dutt added, "I don't know what the criteria are that the committee adopted to restrict the selection trials to a one-bout competition for six protesting wrestlers.

"If the committee wants such a trial, then there are many wrestlers, like Olympic medalist Ravi Dahiya and World Championships silver medalist Anshu Malik, who performed well on the international stage," Dutt continued to support his position and added saying six wrestlers being excluded from the trials is a mystery to him.

This is just inaccurate. He continued by categorically rejecting the new declaration and referring to it as a "Black Day for Indian wrestling," saying that the earlier federation has not, to date, made the decision that you (the Ad-hoc committee) have made, without considering any regulations or formulating any criterion.

Vinesh Phogat accuses Yogeshwar Dutt of Supporting Brij Bhushan

Vinesh tweeted in response to Dutt's video: "After hearing Yogeshwar Dutt's video, his hideous chuckle lingered in my head. He participated in both committees established for female wrestlers. He used to chuckle uglily when female wrestlers told their stories to the committee. He assured two female wrestlers that nothing would happen to Brij Bhushan when they stepped outside to get some water.

She also charged Dutt with telling the media and Brij Bhushan Singh about the identities of female wrestlers.“After the committee meeting, Yogeshwar gave the media and Brij Bhushan the names of female wrestlers. Additionally, he called the families of numerous female wrestlers and urged them to "control" their daughters. He was appointed to both committees despite having criticized female wrestlers as well,” says Vinesh Phogat

She continued, "He was preventing the wrestlers and coaches from taking part in the wrestler's protest. I claim that Dutt is siding with the WFI chief. The fact that Yogeshwar is consuming leftovers from Brij Bhushan's plate has been made clear to the entire wrestling community.

The wrestlers have been demonstrating against Singh, the invalidated president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), who has been accused of sexual harassment and has a chargesheet filed against him. Six protesting wrestlers had their selection trials for the Asian Games and World Championships shortened to a single match by the IOA's ad hoc committee. The wrestlers will face off against the trial winners from August 5 to August 15 after receiving an exemption from the initial trials as well.