Xtra Time Web Desk: Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya has decided to skip the Wrestling World Championship as he did not get time to prepare for the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) selection trials next week.
The trials will be held on Tuesday. The tournament is in Oslo, Norway, from October 2-10.
“I don’t want to be on the mat unprepared. What’s the point in competing without enough practice. So I have to miss the World Championship because I don’t want to go to the trials without enough practice,” Dahiya said.
Dahiya will be the second big star missing from the Indian line-up as Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia has also been forced out due to a ligament tear in his right knee.
“I will try to compete in one or two tournaments before the season ends after I begin serious training from next month,” Dahiya said.
Dahiya did not mind that WFI did not exempt him from trials.
WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar said there was nothing wrong in asking star wrestlers to appear for trials.
“We have to prepare the second line also. We have to give chance to everyone to stake their claim to be on the national team, so all have to come to trials,” Tomar said.
Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on whether Vinesh Phogat, Sonam Malik and Divya Kakran will appear in the trials.
Vinesh was suspended for indiscipline during the Tokyo Games, while Sonam was sent a show-cause notice for misconduct. Divya was also sent a notice for remarks by her father against the federation. Both Sonam and Divya have apologised for their behaviour.
Vinesh also tendered an unconditional apology for not wearing the official kit during her bouts but “respectfully” disagreed on charges that she did not train and stay with fellow Indian wrestlers in Tokyo.