‘This is grave injustice’: Antim Panghal wins Asian Games trials, reacts to Delhi High Court dismissing her writ petition about selection

Moments after Antim Panghal defeated fellow Haryana wrestler Manju to win the women’s freestyle 53kg trial for the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games on Saturday, her writ petition in the Delhi High Court against the direct entry provided to Vinesh Phogat (in her category) and Bajrang Punia for the Asiad was dismissed.
Following the trial, Antim, who looked unscathed in all her bouts to routinely win, was disappointed the High Court’s decision and confirmed that her “fight is ongoing” and she will try to move the Supreme Court.
“Tell me one thing, why am I a stand when I have taken part in the trial? Shouldn’t those who have not appeared for the trial be considered as stand? I have reached this stage after winning so many bouts,” she told the media after the trial. “What kind of performance is there on the basis of which they are being sent to the (Asian Games) without trial?”
Vinesh and Bajrang, who spent months protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment and exploitation, were exempted from the ongoing trials due to past success.
Deeming the selection unfair, Antim and Sujeet Kalkal went to court, but on Saturday, Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the petition, refusing to interfere with the exemption.
According to the ad-hoc committee installed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which is overseeing the affairs of the WFI, both Vinesh and Bajrang have been given exemptions because they won medals at the 2022 World Championships, as per the pre-exing WFI policy. The policy states that grapplers who have won medals at the last Olympics and World Championship can be directly selected for the Asian Games team.
Antim questions the favouritism in this policy: “There are others, Ravi Dahiya and Sakshi (Malik) didi, who have won Olympic medals too. So why have they not got an exemption?”
As The Indian Express reported earlier this week, Dahiya’s name was eligible for the exemption but he was ruled out due to injuries.
Antim revealed that she felt tense on the day, particularly in the first bout, after being dracted the ongoing controversy and her legal petition, which had also kept her coach preoccupied.
“I don’t know why this is happening to me, I have also won medals, it’s not like I have achieved nothing,” the 18-year-old Antim, who won a silver medal at this year’s Asian Championships, said.
“This is grave injustice with us, that we are fighting here at the trial and someone who doesn’t compete gets direct entry.”
On Thursday, junior wrestlers with parents and coaches assembled at the IOA headquarters in New Delhi in protest. Those demonstrations may continue if an appeal is made in the Supreme Court.
Elsewhere, in a big upset, former World Championships silver-medall Anshu Malik was defeated former Worlds bronze-medall Sarita Mor, in the very first round of the women’s freestyle 57kg category. Mor did not make good of her big win, falling to fellow Railways wrestler Manshi, who eventually went on to win the trial to qualify for the Asiad.
The trial of the 62kg category, that of Sakshi Malik, who was also protesting alongside Vinesh and Bajrang but did not get an exemption and did not take part in the trial, was won Sonam Malik. Sakshi and Sonam had gone back and forth competing for that position over the last few years, with Sonam going to the Tokyo Olympics, and Sakshi retaking her spot to win gold at the Commonwealth Games last year.
Full l:
Women’s freestyle:
50kg: Pooja53kg: Antim Panghal (stand)57kg: Manshi62kg: Sonam Malik68kg: Radhika76kg: Kiran
Men’s Greco Roman:
60kg: Gyanender
67kg: Neeraj
77kg: Vikas
87kg: Sunil Kumar
97kg: Narender
130kg: Naveen