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Olympic medalist Ravi Dahiya is reportedly said to deny the exemption from selection trials for the Asian Games 2023.
A massive outrage has sparked among the Indian wrestling fraternity after the IOA-appointed ad-hoc panel of WFI handed direct entries to the country's top wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat into the Asian Games.
Ravi Dahiya, who won a Silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, was contacted to write an email requesting an exemption from trials. According to a New Indian Express report, the Haryana grappler insisted on attending the trials to rightfully claim his spot in the Indian squad for the Asian Games.
"Ravi also got a call from authorities concerned to write an email but he declined the exemption offer. He told them that he will try to claim his place in the team by taking part in the trials," a source close to the development told New Indian Express.
Dahiya is the second wrestler to have been denied direct entry for the quadrennial event after the 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik.
The report also suggests that the ad-hoc committee ignored Ravi Dahiya's direct entry owing to fitness concerns. However, Ravi's coach Parveen Dahiya (at Chhatrasal Stadium) rubbished the fitness issues and said the wrestler is fit to participate in the trials.
Ravi Dahiya missed Asian Wrestling Championships in April
Dahiya was ruled out of the selection trials to pick the Indian team for the Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 due to a knee injury. The 25-year-old sustained the injury in a practice session at the Chhatrasal Stadium on February 6. Scans further revealed grade 2 tears on his right knee.
Dahiya won his third straight gold in the 57kg category of the Asian Wrestling Championships in the 2022 edition, which was held in Mongolia. He mustered a comprehensive 12-2 win over Kazakhstan's Rakhat Kalzhan in the 57 kg men's freestyle final.
