Asian Games 2023: Grapplers' extension request likely to be rejected by OCA | Wrestlers' Protest

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) might not entertain the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) request for extending the July 15 deadline for submitting the country's wrestling squad for the Asian Games.

It means that wrestlers, who protested against the WFI chief, might have to appear in the trials underprepared as they only started training recently.

The Asian Games are scheduled to commence in Hangzhou, China on September 23 and IOA is required to submit the names of the competing athletes by July 15.

The protesting wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik want to prepare well for the trials and had sought more time to be in good physical and mental shape. They requested the Sports Ministry to hold trials in August.

IOA on behalf of wrestlers reached out to OCA on Friday.

A source privy to the developments told PTI that it would be difficult for the OCA to allow IOA to hold the submission of players' names till August, as requested by six protesting wrestlers.

"OCA has to manage 45 countries and 40 sports disciplines at the Asian Games. To accede to IOA's request for extending the deadline for wrestlers by almost a month-and-a-half will be very difficult.

"Let's see what happens. OCA is still studying it. If it was a matter of 4-5 days, it was not an issue but delaying it for 40-45 days is just not feasible," said the source.

The IOA has already asked all the national federations to submit the final names of their respective selected players for the Asian Games by June 30.

"(Giving so much) time is a dodgy thing. How can you delay the entries by one-and-a-half months when the Asian Games are starting on September 23."

The source, though, said that since the request had been made by an NOC, "the OCA will have to take up" the issue.

The source, however, added the OCA would "not like to get involved" in the local politics of a particular sport in a country.

"It (OCA) is an Asian organisation, it has to go by the rules of Asian committee. If OCA entertains a request from one country, then there are 45 other countries who will raise questions and ask OCA to also accommodate their requests."

The IOA ad-hoc body was keen to conduct the trials in the last week of June so that the names could be given to the IOA before the June 30 deadline given to all National Sports Federations (NSFs).

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