Paris Olympics 2024: WFI says no to selection trials, quota winners to represent India at Summer Games

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has confirmed that the quota winners in various categories will represent India at the Paris Olympics 2024. This means that there are no selection trials for wrestlers for the upcoming Summer Games.

WFI president Sanjay Singh confirmed the decision on Tuesday, as holding another set of trials would affect their preparations.

Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Antim Panghal (53kg), Reetika Hooda (76kg), Nisha Dahiya (68kg), Anshu Malik (57kg) and Aman Sehrawat (57kg) earned quota places from various competitions to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024. Aman is the only male freestyle wrestler in the Indian contingent.

Antim won the quota for the Olympics last year, with Vinesh, Reetika and Anshu booking their Paris Olympics 2024 berths at the Asian qualifiers in Bishkek last month. Aman and Nisha sealed their entries at the World Olympic qualifiers in Istanbul earlier this month.

The WFI was following the policy of sending quota winners to the Olympics but when Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh took over in 2021, the rules were changed. Trials were held to select the team for the Olympics, as the then WFI president felt that the selection trials would ensure that the country sends their best wrestlers to the Olympics.

With the change of guard at the WFI, the old policy of sending quota winners to the Olympics is back. Sanjay Singh said based on the requests from the wrestlers, it has been decided to shift to the old policy. “Five wrestlers had written to us to not hold trials as it will affect their preparation. They will have to reduce weight and it will shift their focus on trials. Since there is little time left for the Paris Olympics, the selection committee has decided to not hold trials and select the quota winners for the Olympics team, as WFI has been doing previously,” Singh told the media.

The WFI’s move to get back to the old policy also now means that there will be no trial between Vinesh and Antim in the 53kg category. While the 53kg category is Vinesh’s favourite, Antim won that quota with a World Championship bronze medal last year.

Later, Vinesh won the 50kg quota at the Asia Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, month by cutting down weight and will now compete at the Paris Olympics 2024 in the 50kg category only.

The Indian wrestling contingent has a total of six wrestlers—five female and one male—competing at the Paris Olympics.